Everything Your Parents Told You Not To Do
by JustGrace13
Summary: AU When soccer star Ulrich Stern finds himself in trouble, he is saved by Yumi Ishiyama. As they get to know each other, they realize they just might have feelings for each other. Now, this wouldn't be a problem except that Yumi is a member of a notorious gang and girlfriend of the gang's leader, William Dunbar. Can Ulrich survive winning over his new crush? UxY
1. Chapter 1

I don't know why I get myself into these things. I never update regularly and there's so much homework to be done...

Oh well :) Here we are! For those of you who read my recent Code Lyoko fic, Desert Fairytale, this will be nothing like that. This story, just as the title implies, will be full of silly teenage recklessness and interesting life choices. I've already decided this story will reach a light M-rating but I hope that won't deter any of you from reading. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 1**

Somewhere in the dorms of Kadic Academy, at exactly 7:32 on a Monday morning, an alarm clock belonging to Ulrich Stern sounded. The teenage boy groaned in protest but obligingly rolled out of bed and shut off the incessant noise.

After showering and getting dressed for the day, he grabbed a granola bar and headed to class.

Off campus, about 10 minutes away, a girl went through the same routine before exiting her modest apartment and heading towards the academy for her own classes.

Yumi Ishiyama slid into the classroom right as the late bell rang and quietly took her seat near the back of the room.

Ulrich looked up when he heard the door open but quickly dropped his gaze when he realized it was just William's girlfriend. He had almost forgotten she was in his first period, she so rarely showed up.

Few of the other students even spared the dark-haired girl a glance and, fortunately for her, that was how she liked it.

Yumi nodded to two of William's friends and pulled out an empty notebook in an attempt to look like she was paying attention. Then, she began work on a problem set that was due in her next class.

Ulrich rolled his eyes as yet another latecomer entered the classroom. This boy, Ulrich was pretty sure his name was Herve, wore dark sunglasses and a black wristband with a white crisscross pattern. He must have just joined Theo, Ulrich realized.

The "X's," as they liked to call themselves, were significantly more obvious than William and his gang. This boy was surprisingly scrawny for a gang member, but then again Ulrich reasoned, Theo Gauthier, head of X.A.N.A., had recently taken to accepting whoever he could get.

Of all the things people said about William Dunbar, you had to give him credit for shaping the gang and maintaining the utmost loyalty of its members. He renamed them two years ago and has been working to give the Skids a better, more orderly image ever since.

The Skids were by far more prevalent at Kadic than the X's, but, of course, as a Boarder, none of that really affected Ulrich anyway.

The teacher began her lecture and Ulrich forgot all about the Skids and the X's, instead electing to look forward to the big soccer match he would be playing in later that day. They were playing St. Augustine again and Ulrich still held a grudge against their striker for an illegal slide tackle that had sprained a teammate's ankle last month. He planned on returning the favor that afternoon, after demolishing them on the scoreboard yet again.

Yumi worked diligently on the Calculus homework in front of her and tried to absorb at least some of what the teacher was saying. She mentally kicked herself for not accepting Jeremie's offer to tutor her but, with the drug deal that had taken place all the way across the city, Yumi simply had not had time yesterday.

Helping William was never easy. She was just thankful that the drug deal had taken place right before rent and fall tuition were due. The money would cover Hiroki's tuition and most of her own, and she knew she could talk Delmas and her landlord into giving her an extension on everything else.

She stifled a yawn and tried to focus on figuring out what the hell the integral of the second derivative was.

.

"I didn't expect to see you at school today," William commented as Yumi sat down next to the gang head and sometimes-boyfriend in the cafeteria. "How did everything go last night?"

The other Skids paused their conversations and looked at her politely for a response.

Yumi shrugged, uncomfortable with the attention they awarded her. "They were a few minutes late but they're never any trouble."

Her reply seemed to satisfy the other members and they returned to their own conversations.

Yumi lowered her voice to continue her conversation with William. "I need another job soon. The deadline for tuition was last week and Delmas is losing his patience."

"That old man wouldn't dare kick the president of his Martial Arts Club out," William grinned. "You add so much diversity to his school's resume."

"I'm being serious," Yumi ignored his joke.

As president of a student organization, according to school policy, she was entitled to free room and board at the academy. It didn't matter that she was the only member, and she was able to convince Delmas to transfer the benefits to Hiroki so that he could live on campus for free. As long as she practiced martial arts for 30 minutes once a week, with Jim's supervision, she shaved off a couple thousand dollars from her younger brother's tuition.

Unfortunately, even without room and board, tuition at Kadic Academy was still not cheap.

"Fine, fine," William responded. "I have a package for some kids from St. Augustine. They're going to be here for the soccer match tonight and they want to pick it up after the game."

Yumi raised an eyebrow. "How much?"

"It's smaller than last night, about 1,000. Can you do it?"

"Just tell me when and where." Yumi nodded.

The boy sitting next to her looked pleased. "I'll text you later with details."

The bell rang for the end of lunch and they stood. William put a hand around her shoulders before she walked away and pulled her to him. He kissed her just below her ear.

"You know, you're welcome to spend the night with me tonight. I wouldn't want you walking home in the dark all alone after the game," he whispered suggestively.

Yumi shrugged out of his embrace. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

"I am well aware." William laughed patronizingly before running a hand down her stomach and looking at her with dark eyes. "I just don't want you to forget that I can take care of you too."

Yumi tried to ignore the sudden warmth blossoming in the pit of her stomach. "I'm going to class. If I decide I'm coming over, I'll let you know."

William rolled his eyes. "Such a tease," he mumbled as they left the cafeteria.

.

"Get those knees higher! No war was ever won with laziness!" Jim yelled at the soccer team as they warmed up on the field.

The sun was already setting by the time the game started. Ulrich scanned the stands as Jim gave the team a pre-game pep talk. He didn't see his parents, unsurprisingly. Fans on both sides were cheering loudly and Kadic's student section was going crazy.

Ulrich was about to turn away when something unusual caught his eye.

William's girlfriend and two other Skids were just entering the stadium. Members of either gang rarely made appearances at school functions, but there they were. They took seats in the front row and, while the two boys sitting with Yumi looked completely focused on the game about to start, a cautious and alert expression was apparent on the girl's face.

Ulrich wondered briefly why William would bother sending anyone to a soccer match. Yumi's eyes were scanning the field when they finally landed on his. Their eyes locked for a moment before Ulrich looked away. The dark haired girl was smirking at his reaction when he looked back at her.

He frowned, but then the whistle blew and Ulrich took his place in the middle of the field. He made eye contact with the opposite striker and, in that instant, he forgot about everything but the game in front of him.

Yumi crossed her arms and leaned back against the seat. William had sent two other boys with her for the intimidation factor, even though they seemed like they would have been more than willing to go anyway.

_Boys and sports... _Yumi sighed to herself. She had no real interest in the game but she consoled herself with the fact that Kadic's soccer team seemed to have at least a few relatively attractive members.

She noticed one of the players staring at her and smirked. The brunette quickly dropped his gaze and ran onto the field when the whistle blew.

_Maybe this game won't be so bad after all... _Yumi watched the athletic boy deftly handle the ball and outmatch all the opposing players. She was definitely impressed.

Then, one of the boys sitting beside her nudged her, pulling her from her fantasy world.

"Right corner, front. Black hat," he said.

Yumi followed his gaze and nodded. A boy from St. Augustine was sitting with three other students off in a corner and Yumi recognized them as the future recipients of the package she had in her backpack.

"We'll meet them after the game. Don't draw any more attention," Yumi spoke authoritatively. Although she wasn't technically in any leadership position within the gang, she had earned the trust of its members and was damn good at completing little jobs like these for William.

She refused to participate in gang fights and acts of intimidation but she was more than happy to handle the transfer of illegal substances in order to earn a little money.

And the boys didn't need to be told twice. Their attention returned to the game and they began cheering and yelling just as much, if not more, as the Boarders themselves.

Yumi let the boys have their fun, knowing full well that this was probably the only school sports event they had attended all year. She clapped appropriately whenever Kadic scored a goal and kept a wary eye on the group they would be meeting later, seriously hoping that it wouldn't end up being another long night.

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Yay for Chapter 1! Chapters will be longer and more exciting in the future :) Let me know if you have any questions about what happened in this chapter or will happen in the future. Review and I'll love you forever!


	2. Chapter 2

Just because I love you all so much :) Updates will probably occur once or twice a week in the future. And thank you so much for all your lovely reviews! Some of them were so sweet and they've been making my days brighter so thank you for taking the time to do that. You guys are the best!

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**Chapter 2**

The scoreboard read 3-2 as the final whistle blew, ending the game. Kadic supporters burst into cheers and the team celebrated on the field.

St. Augustine begrudgingly filed out of the stadium and headed towards the team bus.

Yumi gave the signal for the two boys to follow her and they made their way towards the opponent's side of the stadium.

"You're Yumi?" The tallest boy asked her as they approached the group.

Yumi nodded. "You have the money?"

The head of the group looked over to a shorter boy. He opened a black bag and showed her a glance of the bills in the bag.

Yumi pulled the brown paper bag out of her backpack and held it out to the tall boy. Yumi gestured for the boy standing on her right to retrieve the money.

The exchange only took a few seconds and then both groups were on their way.

.

"Great work tonight, team! We'll do celebratory laps tomorrow during class! Make sure to get some rest!" Jim praised the players before sending them off.

Ulrich changed into tennis shoes and put his stuff in his soccer bag. A few of his teammates congratulated him on his winning goal before he headed out the back entrance of the stadium.

He walked through the parking lot and crossed the street, leaving campus to grab a sandwich from the little shop at the corner.

A group of guys was talking and standing against the wall of the sandwich shop. They quieted as Ulrich passed and he noticed that they were wearing the St. Augustine colors.

He tried not to think anything of it and went inside. Once he ordered and paid for his sandwich, he exited and walked back down the street.

The same group watched him walk towards them.

"Hey," one of them called to him.

Ulrich continued walking, refusing to turn his head.

They caught up to him. "I was talking to you!" A guy snarled, grabbing his soccer bag and pulling it off his shoulder.

Ulrich tried to stay calm and went to pick his bag up off the ground. Another guy swatted his hand away and grabbed the front of his jersey.

"You think you can just get away with tackling our players like that, punk?" He took the sandwich bag out of Ulrich's hand and dropped it on the ground before stepping on it.

"Leave me alone," Ulrich spoke through gritted teeth and tried to pull away from the other boy's grip.

The group of guys laughed. "Sure, we'll let you go. We're just going to teach you a lesson first."

.

"It looks like it's all here," one of the boys informed her.

"Very good. Take it to William's room before you go home." Yumi instructed.

The boys looked at each other nervously. "William was hoping you would deliver it yourself," one of them timidly spoke up.

Yumi sighed. Of course she couldn't expect William to keep their affairs private.

"Tell him that I'm going home. I'll see him tomorrow."

"Well... All right," the boy reluctantly let her go. "Night, Yumi."

"Good night." Yumi waved as the boys headed towards the dorms.

She crossed the street behind the stadium. Her apartment was only a block away from campus but it was much cheaper than paying for a room in one of the dorms.

A loud thud caught her attention and she noticed a group of guys huddled together at the corner of the block.

Yumi debated continuing on her way but then, they pushed the kid against the wall and punched him in the stomach again. They were St. Augustine students. Regardless of whether they were beating up a Skid or an X, Yumi still had a responsibility to help the fellow Kadic student out.

Yumi sighed and walked over.

_So much for an easy night..._

"Excuse me." Yumi spoke clearly. "You boys seem to be lost."

The three boys paused and looked at her. The kid dropped to the ground, coughing and holding his stomach.

One of the thugs crossed his arms over his puffed up chest. "Why don't you just get out of here? It's dangerous for little girls to run around at night."

Yumi smirked. "Maybe you should tell that to your soccer team. It seems that they're taking their loss pretty hard."

"You better shut your mouth before I make you shut it," the boy threatened.

Yumi tried not to laugh. "Just go on home. I don't want any trouble."

"We're not done with this punk yet. We'll leave when we're good and ready." Another one of the thugs held the kid on the ground by his hair and kicked him when he struggled.

"Leave him alone," Yumi spoke more urgently. She let her backpack fall off her shoulders and stood directly in front of the tall thug.

"What are you going to do about it?" He snarled.

Yumi reached for the boy on the ground and realized it was the brunette soccer player she had noticed earlier. Another boy grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.

She dodged his grab for her neck and kicked him between his legs, making him drop to his knees in pain.

He let out a loud string of curses and the other two thugs turned their attention to her. Yumi ducked around the first and shot up in front of the second, forcing the heel of her hand into his nose. Blood gushed between his fingers and he howled.

The last one lunged at her and Yumi braced herself for the blow that never came. He fell to the ground in front of her and Yumi realized that the soccer player had wrapped his arms around the thug's ankles, tripping him.

Yumi pulled a small knife from her boot and knelt down to make eye contact with the thug on the ground. She pressed the edge threateningly against his neck.

"You're going to get out of here. Now. And if I ever hear of you bothering someone from Kadic again, you're dead. I know William Dunbar. If I can't get to you myself, have no doubt that he will take care of it for me. Understand?"

Recognition flashed in the other boy's eyes. "You're William's girl, aren't you?"

Yumi stood up and put the knife away. "Something like that."

The boy tried to roll onto his back and Yumi's boot connected with his head, forcing him against the concrete sidewalk.

"Don't move until we're gone."

The boy with the broken nose had already disappeared but the other two stayed silently on the ground. They glared as Yumi picked up her backpack and the soccer player's sports bag.

The brunette was leaning against the wall, still breathing heavily. She looked down at him.

"Can you walk?"

He took a deep breath and nodded. It seemed to be a difficult process but he finally made it to his feet.

"Thanks." His voice was raspy. He reached for his soccer bag but Yumi took a step back.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

The boy frowned. "I have to get back before they close the gates for curfew."

Yumi decided against telling him curfew had most definitely passed by now. "You're in no condition to walk all the way across campus to the dorms. Come on, I live just down the street."

Ulrich considered protesting, but his stomach and head were already protesting enough. He let her lead him down the street and around the corner to an apartment building.

They walked through a surprisingly nice lobby and Ulrich examined his reflection in the glossy elevator walls.

At least he didn't look any worse than he felt.

He realized they were getting off at the top floor and wondered why this girl wasted her time with William and the Skids when her family was so obviously loaded.

"Here we are."

They had stopped at a room at the end of the hallway and Ulrich fought the urge to throw up. His stomach muscles spasmed violently before contracting and relaxing.

The girl didn't seem to notice. Her face flushed slightly as she opened the door. "It's not as nice as your rooms at school but..."

Ulrich followed her inside and realized they were standing in only half of what was already a pretty tiny apartment.

His confusion must have been apparent on his face because she answered the question he was thinking.

"I get a discount on rent because this technically isn't a full apartment."

Ulrich started to nod, but that made his vision blur so he stopped.

"Sit down." She led him to a couch.

His closed his eyes and let his head rest against the cheap material.

"Don't close your eyes. You might have a concussion." Yumi sat down next to him with a bottle of water and a first aid kit.

Ulrich decided sleep was more important than a concussion and left his eyes blissfully shut. Then, he felt soft, feminine hands pulling up the hem of his shirt.

"What are you doing?" He exclaimed, moving much to fast for his body's comfort.

"Calm down. You're bleeding onto your jersey," the strict voice told him.

But Ulrich was distracted. "I'm going to throw up."

"Oh, God," Ulrich heard before he lurched forward. Miraculously, he found a trashcan in front of him as his stomach emptied itself. Bottles of water, dinner, and lunch all reappeared in the metal basket, and Ulrich briefly wondered if he was going to die.

"Are you done?" Yumi asked warily after a few minutes had passed.

Ulrich looked up to see her standing in the corner of the living room/kitchen with a disgusted look on her face.

He certainly felt done. "I think so."

"Good," she said. She gingerly nudged the trashcan away with her foot. "Take your shirt off."

Ulrich blushed again and realized that his jersey was, indeed, stained with red. "I'm fine."

The girl's eyes narrowed impatiently. "I don't have time for this. Just do it."

Ulrich tried to hide his embarrassment and pain as he pulled the jersey over his head. His chest was already bruising and the crescent cuts on his torso were still bloody.

"Hold still." Yumi cleaned each one with a disinfectant before sticking on bandages.

The icy liquid stung and Ulrich couldn't help but hiss each time she ran the cool clothe over his chest.

"I'm Ulrich." He said, trying to relieve the awkwardness.

"Yumi," she replied, apparently unbothered by the fact that a shirtless stranger was sitting on her couch.

"I know," he responded without thinking.

Yumi paused her cleaning to look up him strangely.

Ulrich cleared his throat and looked away. "I mean, you're William's girlfriend, right?"

She looked surprisingly sour and stood up. "Not anymore. I'll get you a clean shirt."

He watched her go to a dresser against the back wall and realized the half-apartment was lacking, among other things, a bedroom. She pulled out a white t-shirt and tossed it to him.

"Thanks." He forced the shirt over his head, ignoring the protest of his aching muscles. "So, what exactly happened to this apartment?"

Yumi smiled as she began putting things back into the first aid kit. "Well, the owner wanted to put a pool on the roof but the contractors told him that the floor would cave in under it if he didn't reinforce the roof. So, he put the extra walls in. The other half is storage now. I was just lucky enough to catch him before he made this half into storage too."

"Is that legal?"

The girl laughed. "Not exactly. That's why I only pay a fraction of the rent."

Ulrich frowned, "But don't your parents care that you're living in an unsafe apartment?"

Yumi stopped laughing and looked at him seriously for a moment before shrugging. "They're dead. I figure what they don't know can't hurt them."

Ulrich's jaw dropped. "I-I had no idea," he sputtered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," she said nonchalantly. "Feel free to use the bathroom or whatever. I'm going to bed."

"Thanks," Ulrich nodded, before realizing a problem. He still didn't see a bedroom. "Where do you sleep?"

A playful smile pulled at Yumi's lips and she eyed the couch he was sitting on. "Have you ever slept with a girl before?"

Ulrich blushed furiously. "I'll sleep on the floor."

The girl laughed again. "Relax, I was just kidding. You can sleep on the couch; I'm friends with my neighbor. I'll sleep there tonight."

Ulrich tried to hide his alarm. "Right."

Yumi walked back over to the dresser, still giggling to herself. "Now, don't look," she teased. "I'm going to change and I wouldn't want to taint your virgin eyes."

Ulrich rolled his eyes and was about to reply when he realized that she was serious. Her black bra dropped to the floor, joining her shirt.

She slid a dark red tank top over her head and unbuttoned her pants. Ulrich looked away quickly and forced himself to begin breathing again.

"Need anything before I go next door?" Yumi asked him, clad only in a tank top and tiny pajama shorts.

Ulrich nodded silently.

The girl smirked. "All right. I'll be back in the morning. Sweet dreams!" She called as she closed the door behind her.

Ulrich took a deep, calming breath once she was gone. He tried to forget the image of her milky white skin and ridiculously long legs.

Instead, he focused on getting comfortable on the lumpy couch. Fortunately, exhaustion quickly swept over him and knocked him out cold until the next morning.

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What do you guys think so far? :) Excited for Chapter 3?


	3. Chapter 3

Hello again :) I hope you're still enjoying the story!

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**Chapter 3**

"Ulrich?"

_..._

"Ulrich?"

Ulrich awoke to someone calling his name. He immediately felt a pulsing ache throughout his whole body and groaned.

"Want some aspirin?" The voice asked again and Ulrich remembered where he was.

"Yes, please," he asked pathetically.

"Here." Yumi put two pills in his hand.

Ulrich forced himself to sit up and took the pills. He looked around the room and realized that Yumi was already dressed.

"First period starts in half an hour and it takes about 10 minutes to walk there," she informed him.

Ulrich nodded and slowly stood up, grimacing in pain.

"Make that 15 actually..." Yumi corrected, noticing his obvious pain.

"Can I take a shower?" He asked, ignoring her comment.

"Sure," Yumi grinned. "You look like you might need some help."

Ulrich found himself turning bright red once again. "No, thank you."

She laughed at his embarrassment. "I'll just put some clothes out for you."

Ulrich remembered that he only had his soccer jersey in his bag and sighed. "Thanks." He didn't bother asking where she would get the clothes.

The hot water soothed his screaming muscles and Ulrich got out much sooner than he would have liked so that they wouldn't be late for class. A pile of clean clothes rested on the sink and Ulrich tried not to think about Yumi being in the bathroom while he was in the shower.

He was almost concerned about the silky black boxers lying top of the pile but decided it was better than nothing. He put on the black jeans and buttoned up the dark blue shirt before checking himself out in the mirror. This girl certainly did not have bad taste.

"Ready?" Yumi asked, once he was back in the living room/kitchen/dining room/bedroom.

"Yeah," he nodded. He slung his soccer bag over his should and tried to conceal the painful grimace that covered his face.

Yumi smirked at his expression and handed him a granola bar. "I figured you'd be hungry."

Ulrich looked at the power bar in his hand and realized that he was starving.

She led them across the street and on a shortcut behind the science building. Ulrich could see the dorms now just across the courtyard and his tired body rejoiced.

"What do you think you're doing here?" A male voice hissed as they turned the corner.

The pair stopped abruptly and Yumi frowned. "We're just going to class," she said calmly.

The boy standing in front of them crossed his arms. He had a girl with him and Herve from their first period class completed the trio.

"This is X.A.N.A territory," the girl spat back at Yumi.

"We gave that up years ago. No one has any territory on campus anymore. It's ridiculous," Yumi tried to reason with them.

The first boy pulled out a knife and pointed it at Yumi. "You think you can just do whatever you want, don't you? Well, Theo's reclaiming all our old territory and he's going to teach William a thing or two about running a gang."

Alarm flashed through Yumi's eyes but she covered it quickly. She stepped in front of Ulrich and put her hands up.

"We don't want any trouble. Besides, he's a Boarder," Yumi gestured over her shoulder. "You don't want to get involved in that. Theo would be furious."

The boy looked deep in thought but finally lowered the knife. The girl wasn't about to let them go that easily though.

"What're you doing with a Boarder anyway?" She asked suspiciously.

Yumi took a deep breath and tried to think of a convincing lie.

"Homework," Ulrich spoke up behind her. He made eye contact with Herve, who had so far remained silent. "You know that paper due next week? We were trying to figure out what it's even supposed to be about."

The scrawny boy looked conflicted for a moment. "Just let them go," he finally sighed. "Theo wouldn't want us to piss William off over something stupid like this."

Yumi smiled as they passed. "Thank you."

Both boys smiled back but the girl just rolled her eyes.

"That was quick thinking," Yumi commented once they reached the dorms.

Ulrich shrugged at the compliment. "I just didn't want to be late to class."

"Well, I'll see you in first period then, I guess."

"Yeah..." Ulrich nodded. "And, thanks. For everything."

Yumi smiled again. "It's no problem. Just try to stay out of danger in the future."

"I'll work on that." Ulrich laughed weakly, trying to pull himself away from the gorgeous girl in front of him.

"You going to get your stuff?" Yumi asked after a moment when he still hadn't left. "Class starts at 8."

"Yeah, I'm going," Ulrich nodded quickly. "Bye." He waved awkwardly before turning and entering the building.

Yumi found she couldn't look away from the strange boy until he disappeared into the dorms, even though she knew she'd see him again in class in just a few minutes. Next time she saw him though, it would be different.

Last night, they had become friends and this morning, she had almost found the silly boy endearing.

But, now, that was over. They would enter the classroom and they would just be another Boarder and Skid. Nothing special.

Yumi shook her head to push away the ridiculous thoughts. It was stupid to even think about Ulrich that way. He'd probably already forgotten about her.

She crossed the courtyard and entered the classroom. This would be the first time she was early to first period since the beginning of the year.

.

Ulrich retrieved his backpack from his room as quickly as his stiff body would allow him.

He heard the late bell ring as he walked across the courtyard to class but realized being late was not necessarily a bad thing. He entered the classroom, ignoring the teacher's irritated expression, and smiled at Yumi as he sat down.

She never even looked up.

Ulrich tried not to let it bother him as he pulled out his own notebook. She probably didn't hear him come in.

Class passed more slowly than ever.

.

At lunch, Ulrich saw her standing in the lunch line. He waved and she gave a stiff nod in return.

He sat down across from his best friend and picked dejectedly at his mashed potatoes. Odd watched him curiously.

"You do realize you just waved to Yumi Ishiyama?" The blonde asked him incredulously.

Ulrich sighed. "I met her last night after the game. I thought we were friends. I guess not."

Odd laughed nervously. "You've got to be kidding me. Since when do you associate with any gang members? They hate us; it's a wonder William isn't coming over here to shoot you for even thinking about his girlfriend."

"She's not his girlfriend," Ulrich snapped.

Odd sat in stunned silence before shaking his head. "Are you telling me you have a thing for the girlfriend of what is quite possibly the scariest guy in Kadic Academy?"

Ulrich frowned. "I just said they aren't dating. And he wouldn't shoot me. They're not as bad as all that."

Odd looked around cautiously. "All right, buddy. If you say so. Just don't say so too loud. I'm not really ready to die today."

Ulrich rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

The blonde watched his friend squish his green beans against the side of the tray and wondered how in hell he had managed to develop feelings for the one girl Kadic he had zero chance of getting.

.

"Nicholas told me that everything went well last night," William said once Yumi was sitting down. "I'll give you your half after school."

Yumi nodded to show that she had heard.

The boy across from her frowned and motioned for the other four Skids at the table to make their exit. They moved to another table unquestioningly, something that would have irritated Yumi if she had been paying attention.

"Yumi, I'd like to ask you a question without judgment. I'm going to ask you if Ulrich Stern is wearing my pants and I don't want you to think I'm going crazy."

Yumi looked up, wide-eyed. "Why would you think that?"

William clenched his jaw tightly before breathing deeply and closing his eyes. "Yumi. Why is Ulrich Stern wearing my clothes?"

"It's... a long story."

"Oh, but I'd love to hear it," he spoke in a dangerously sweet tone.

Yumi sighed. "Some thugs attacked him a block from my apartment. I couldn't just leave him on the street."

William stayed quiet for a long time before asking, "Christ... He's not wearing my underwear too?"

"No," Yumi answered firmly. "He's wearing the black ones that I sleep in."

The dark haired boy pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and exhaled loudly. "Fine. Just be more careful in the future. Rumors are flying that you're cheating on me and it's just embarrassing that people think you'd leave me for a Boarder."

Yumi tried to keep her expression neutral. "We're not together, William. We've already had this discussion."

William frowned. "If you don't want to call me your boyfriend that's fine but everyone in Skidbladnir thinks that you're my girl, and that's why they protect you like they do. I can exempt you from the violence only as long as they think I have some other reason for keeping you around."

"That's disgusting," Yumi snapped.

"It's true," William countered. "You want protection, you want money, and you want privilege. You either stick with me or you're going to have to fight like every other gang member. You can't always get everything you want."

"I know that," Yumi looked away. "I just wish you wouldn't act like I'm your property all the time. You don't own me."

William sighed. "Is this still about Tamiya? You said we were taking a break, Yumi. I'm sorry it upset you but I thought that's what you meant."

"It's not about Tamiya!" Yumi hissed. "I don't care that you fucked Tamiya. I care that you can go and make me look like a fool but at the slightest hint of my unfaithfulness, I'm kicked out of the gang. It's not fair."

William took her hands and looked deep into her eyes. "Yumi, you know I care about you. I want to make you happy but I also have a responsibility to Skidbladnir. I changed our name to mean 'something great from many small pieces' and I can't just ignore the other small pieces to give one special treatment. That ruins the greatness."

Yumi wanted to take William's philosophy and tell him to choke on it. Instead, she pulled her hands away. They had this conversation so frequently, she already knew nothing was going to change.

"Theo's trying to reclaim territory on campus," she said dully.

William frowned. "You're sure it's not just some overeager newbies making things up?"

"They certainly seemed serious. One was about ready to start a fight over it," Yumi made a face at the memory. What made people so eager to fight about everything?

"I'll try to talk to Theo but if this doesn't stop, you know what I'll have to do. Delmas will try to shut us both down if any Boarders get hurt," William sighed. While he was never one to shy away from a fight, he usually tried to avoid involving others as well.

Yumi looked away in disappointment. If Theo wouldn't give up this silly notion, there would be a gang-wide fight. While Yumi never participated in these types of planned fights, she still hated the idea of her friends getting hurt over something so meaningless.

"Don't worry about it. Nothing's sure just yet," William smiled, putting his hand under her chin and lifting her face so he could look into her eyes. "When are you going to come over again, Yumes? I miss you."

He took her hands again and kissed her fingertips seductively.

"William, don't," Yumi tried to stifle the warm flush on her cheeks. "Everyone's watching."

Finally, he seemed pleased. "Good. I want to make sure everyone knows you're mine." He winked comically.

Yumi rolled her eyes and tried not to give him the satisfaction of making her laugh. Much to her relief, the bell finally rang announcing the end of lunch.

They stood up and William leaned forward to kiss the top of her head. "I'll see you later."

Yumi gave him a small smile as they parted, feeling slightly better that things almost felt normal between them again.

Then, she saw Tamiya come up to him outside the cafeteria. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered her one. They walked off together and Yumi had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen next.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that they weren't dating and that she didn't care. She went on to her next class and made a point not to talk to anyone on the way.

Not even Ulrich.

He watched her pass without bothering to wave again, and noticed the tears shining in her eyes. Ulrich realized then, that he wanted to do everything in his power he could to ensure that she would never be unhappy again.

But first, he would have to find a way to talk to her.

* * *

So much drama! Haha Let me know what you guys think! Any ideas for later in the story?


	4. Chapter 4

Happy Monday! :)

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"Come on, boys! Four more laps! I'll make men out of you yet!" Jim shouted enthusiastically as the soccer team ran laps around the field.

Ulrich's head throbbed but he was glad for the exercise that loosened up his stiff muscles. He wasn't sure how far they had run since the start of gym class but he was certainly thankful that they only had four laps left.

The non-athletes were playing some sort of mixture between soccer and baseball but, according to Jim, any exercise was good exercise, and he let them carry on.

Even though they had 8th period gym together, Ulrich still hadn't seen Yumi. He figured she was in the gymnasium practicing her martial arts. Jim had always been especially lenient with the Japanese girl because she always attributed her incredible skill to the older man's fine teaching and guidance.

Finally, Jim announced that class was over and everyone started walking back to the locker rooms.

Yumi appeared around the corner and leaned against the side of the gymnasium, apparently waiting for Jim. Ulrich quickened his pace.

"I think I have that vault down now, if you want to see it." Yumi was saying to Jim as Ulrich reached the pair.

"I always want to see what my best student has been working on," the older man beamed. "You know, when I was younger, I was on the national vaulting team."

Yumi grinned knowingly and Ulrich nudged his coach's arm. "Why didn't you ever tell us? The team would be so impressed."

Jim's cheerful expression immediately turned serious. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"You don't have to." Yumi shrugged. Then, she turned her attention to Ulrich. "What do you want?"

Her unfriendly tone stung him slightly but he tried to brush it off. "I just wanted to talk to you for a minute."

Jim looked from one teen to another and then back before nodding slowly. "Well then, I'll just be in my office. You can show me another time, Yumi. I'll still tell Mr. Delmas that you practiced today."

Yumi watched the gym teacher retreat awkwardly before crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall. "Yes?"

Ulrich tried to swallow his nervousness. "I just wanted to say 'hey'."

The corners of her lips twitched and Ulrich knew she was trying not to smirk at his shyness.

"Jim ran you guys pretty hard," she commented, watching the team slowly pass by over his shoulder.

Ulrich shrugged. "We've done worse."

There was an awkward silence. Yumi watched him expectantly.

"I was wondering... if maybe you would want to get dinner or something sometime," he finally forced out.

Yumi's expression was unreadable.

Then, she laughed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say it sounds like you're trying to ask me out."

Ulrich frowned. "I'm being serious."

Yumi looked at the boy in front of her sympathetically. "You can't be serious. You have no idea what you'd be getting yourself into."

"I think you'd be surprised," Ulrich countered. "Besides, I thought you said you weren't with William anymore."

Yumi looked away. "It's not... You don't understand. It's complicated."

"I understand that you should be able to see whoever you want whenever you want. I'm not scared of William."

"You should be," Yumi scoffed. Then, she sighed. Wasn't this boy just repeating what she had herself earlier that day? Besides, what could it hurt? No one would have to know...

"Fine." She finally gave up. "When and where?"

Ulrich smiled widely. "Tonight? And anywhere you want. My treat."

Yumi smiled back despite herself. "I know a great sushi place. Meet me outside my building at 7:30?"

"Sounds good," Ulrich responded with a goofy grin that almost made Yumi blush. "I'll see you then."

"See ya," Yumi said as he walked towards the door to the locker room. Once he was out of sight, she relaxed against the cool brick behind her and sighed. He looked so adorably attractive with his messy hair and flushed face from running.

Yumi groaned to herself. What on Earth had she just gotten herself into?

.

"You look nice," Ulrich commented as they walked towards the restaurant.

"Thanks. You too." Yumi replied, trying not to stare at the boy beside her. It was true, in his dark jeans and crisp green shirt, he certainly looked older than he was and Yumi was thankful that he had changed out of William's clothes. She adjusted her own shirt nervously and hoped he was being sincere.

Yumi Ishiyama had spent more time picking out her outfit that afternoon than she cared to admit.

When they finally reached the sushi place, Yumi picked a table by the windows and they ordered.

"This is nice," Ulrich finally broke the silence.

Yumi smiled. "I know it's not anything fancy, but the food is always good and it's close."

"No, I mean it. I really like it," he insisted.

"I'm glad you like it," Yumi responded.

They sat in silence for another moment and Yumi wished she were better at this whole "dating" thing. She couldn't remember the last time she had been on a real date.

Their food came and polite conversation was made between bites.

"So you've been playing soccer since you were little?" and "You were born in Japan? Your French is perfect." and later, "The weird kid with spikey hair is named Odd? How appropriate."

Finally, they were finished eating.

"Who's that?"

Yumi realized he was looking at a picture in her wallet. They were getting ready to leave and Yumi had pulled it out to pay.

"That's my little brother," she answered as Ulrich took the bill from her.

"I didn't know you had a brother. He goes to Kadic, doesn't he? I've seen him around before." Ulrich put a card in the bill folder and handed it to the waiter.

Yumi nodded proudly. "He's a first-year. He lives in the dorm building next to yours."

Ulrich looked confused before covering it politely. "I didn't realize he lived on campus."

"He's smarter than I am. I want him to be able to focus on school and go to university and he can't do that cramped in a tiny apartment," Yumi said nonchalantly.

Though he was tempted, Ulrich refrained from asking her how she could afford two tuitions at Kadic when she was forced to live in the closet-apartment that she lived in.

"That's really kind of you. You're an amazing big sister," Ulrich said, impressed that their unconventional family of two could be so much closer than his own ordinary family.

Yumi shrugged. "It's what my parents would have wanted."

Ulrich got his card back and they left the restaurant.

"What happened to your parents?" He asked as they walked back to Yumi's apartment. "If you don't mind me asking," he added.

The dark haired girl looked at him for a moment before answering. "They died in a car crash a few years ago. We didn't have enough money to move back to Japan, even though that's where all our relatives lived, so we stayed here."

"I'm sorry," Ulrich finally said.

"Don't be." Yumi answered quickly. "Hiroki and I are doing just fine."

He supposed the siblings were doing pretty well, all things considered.

"You want to come up?" Yumi asked once they reached the lobby of her building.

Ulrich immediately flushed and he struggled to find a response.

Yumi laughed at his assumption. "Not like that. I just feel bad that dinner was so awkward. I could show you the rooftop. It's closed for the winter so it'll be empty."

"How can we get up there if it's closed?" Ulrich asked, trying to recover from his previous embarrassment.

Yumi grinned at him mischievously. "You'll see."

.

Yumi knocked on the door of the apartment beside hers. Ulrich stood off to the side uncertainly.

"Yeah?" A man in his mid-twenties opened the door. The strong smell of smoke wafted out from the apartment.

"I need the keys to the roof," Yumi announced seriously.

The man stared at her with glazed over eyes. "Aliens?"

Yumi nodded. "Looks like it."

The man disappeared into his apartment and returned a few minutes later with a set of keys, a package of crackers, and a blank piece of paper.

"Just ask them to bring my cat back, man."

Yumi took the various objects and tried to hide a smile. "I'll put her on the fire escape for you if they give her up."

"Safe travels." The man waved his arms slowly.

Yumi waved back and Ulrich heard the door close as they walked away.

"That was strange." He commented.

"He's in charge of maintenance for the building. He's also high most of the time," Yumi shrugged before unlocking a heavy door at the end of the hall.

"What really happened to his cat?" Ulrich asked as they climbed the stairs to the roof.

"Sometimes he forgets to feed it so it escapes and comes to my window for food," Yumi laughed. "I'll just put a can of cat food outside his window when I get back."

They found themselves in the maintenance office and then Yumi unlocked the door to the roof.

Ulrich could see across the whole city. "This is amazing," he said quietly.

"Isn't it?" Yumi smiled at him. She pulled two lounge chairs closer to the edge and gestured for Ulrich to sit down.

They sat in peaceful silence, looking out over the city and watching the lights shine against the dark night. Then, Ulrich realized the time.

"They close the gates at 10." He jumped up from the chair.

"Wait," Yumi grabbed his hand. "It's already 9:50. You won't make it anyway." Then, she blushed. "You... you can sleep here again if you want."

Ulrich sighed. He felt bad imposing for the second time but did he have any other choice? "You sure you don't mind?"

The dark haired girl smiled. "It's not a problem."

They walked back down the stairs and Ulrich found himself mesmerized by the way Yumi's shiny hair swept around her neck and shoulder as she walked.

"I'm afraid it hasn't gotten any bigger since the last time you were here," she joked as they entered the apartment.

Ulrich tried to laugh but he found that being alone with this girl now felt a lot different than it had last night when he was too distracted by the pain and nausea to notice the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled and the tiny strip of skin that peeked out between her shirt and waistband when she raised her arms.

"You ok?" She asked as she got a can of cat food out of the cabinet.

"I'm fine," he answered.

She looked at him doubtfully but didn't say anything else. She opened the small window and slid the can along the floor of the fire escape so it stopped near her neighbor's window.

"So, Boarder, what's your story?" Yumi asked, sitting on one end of the couch.

He sat on the other end and shrugged. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know... Favorite color, childhood dreams, celebrity crush, anything."

Ulrich forced himself to relax and tried to formulate his responses. "Green. And I wanted to be an astronaut before I decided to be on the French National team. I don't really have a celebrity crush, I think that's kind of silly."

Yumi smirked. "You're awfully predictable."

Ulrich frowned. "I am not."

The girl sitting across from him raised an eyebrow.

"Then surprise me."

* * *

Suspense! :) Also, I will be changing the rating of this story to M. Nothing too explicit will be happening in the next chapter but I want to be on the safe side, just in case.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello! I'm sorry this is a little later than usual :) I'm thinking we're about halfway done. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_Yumi smirked. "You're awfully predictable."_

_Ulrich frowned. "I am not."_

_The girl sitting across from him raised an eyebrow. "Then surprise me. Tell me something I'd never guess."_

"Fine," Ulrich accepted the challenge. He spent a while thinking before answering. "I stole my father's car when I was 14 because I was mad at him. It was a German sports car that he had imported just two weeks earlier and I crashed it into a tree on the side of the road."

Yumi continued smiling. "You must think you're so bad. I'm still not surprised though. Most of you Boarders have issues with your parents. Let me guess, he didn't buy you all the video games you wanted?"

Ulrich looked down. "He told me he was sending me away to school because I was too stupid to stay in public school. He didn't want me embarrassing him anymore."

"Oh..." Yumi said softly. She took his hands in her own and looked him in the eyes. "You're not stupid, you know. Your dad's a jerk if he treats you like that."

"No, it's true. My father expects me to be just like him but I'm lucky Delmas still lets me play soccer with my grades." Ulrich shrugged, intertwining his fingers with hers.

Yumi's head was tilted to the side, resting against the back of the couch, making her smile look adorably lopsided. Ulrich grew warm as he noticed how close they were sitting.

"I don't think you're stupid," she told him.

"I don't think you really want to be a Skid," he responded.

Yumi sat up, stiffening defensively, and her entire demeanor changed. "You don't know anything about me," she snapped back at him.

But Ulrich refused to back down. "You don't like fighting and you don't like William. Why do you stay?"

Yumi looked at him with cold eyes. "It's good money. And the Skids are my friends too. I'd die to protect them."

"There's no other reason?" He asked again.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Yumi said, worried that she did actually understand what Ulrich was getting at.

"What about William?"

"I already told you he and I are over."

"Then why does everyone still think you're together?"

"It's... complicated."

Ulrich sighed. "I get it, ok? You can just say you still like him."

Yumi frowned. "I do not."

"Oh, really? Then why do you act like he controls your life? You almost didn't go out with me because of him."

"William does not control me," Yumi said through clenched teeth.

"You sure about that?" Ulrich asked cynically.

Yumi's lips met his forcefully, effectively shutting him up and proving her point, and Ulrich almost fell backwards off the couch.

They found a rhythm after a moment and he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and cupped her face with his other hand. Her hands tangled in his hair and Ulrich tried to keep from moaning as she nibbled on his lower lip.

She tasted better than he ever could have imagined and her skin felt so smooth under his hands, he wanted to touch all of her. Ulrich's heavy breathing made Yumi want to leave him gasping. Her lips trailed along his jaw until she reached his neck. She found a tender spot and bit down, making him grunt in a mix of pain and pleasure.

He moved so he was leaning against the back of the couch and pulled her on top of him. His hands slid under her shirt, pressing against her back, and he took advantage of the fact that she was now above him. His mouth found her collarbone and he sucked and nipped at the soft skin.

Yumi made a very happy sound and pulled her shirt over her head, giving him access to more of her deliciously silky skin. Ulrich let his hands run down the sides of her body, taking in every curve and pulling her hips against his own.

He struggled with the clasp of her bra for a few moments before she started laughing.

"It's stuck," Ulrich mumbled, embarrassed.

"Here." She said, taking one of his hands her own. She deftly unhooked the clasp, before claiming his lips again and pressing his warm hands against her breasts.

Ulrich made a low noise in the back of his throat and Yumi moaned as he slid the dark straps off her shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned her back so he could run his tongue up her stomach and between her breasts.

He was swirling his tongue around her hard nipple when she ran a hand down his chest and cupped his crotch. He gasped at the intense sensation and Yumi took the opportunity to lean forward and kiss his neck again.

In one expert move, she had his pants unbuttoned and was trailing kisses down towards the collar of his shirt.

She felt him through his boxers and amidst the rush of feeling, something in Ulrich clicked.

"Yumi..." he whispered. She was stroking him slowly and he tried to suppress the deep moan building in the back of his throat. "Yumi, wait," he said between heavy breaths.

Her hands were now resting on his shoulders in a much less distracting position and she was looking at him curiously. "Is everything ok?"

Ulrich met her concerned gaze and found himself smiling stupidly. As badly as he wanted to tell her that everything was fine, and that she should keep going, he knew it was wrong.

"I just think we should slow down," said his mouth. His eyes had already gone back to taking in her amazing body and his hands were just itching to move from their position on her hips to feel every inch of it.

Yumi noticed that he was distracted and smirked. "I didn't know you were a virgin."

That got his attention. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Yumi shook her head and smiled. "You misunderstood me. I think it's sweet."

Ulrich leaned back against the couch. "Just checking."

Then, he grinned at her so endearingly that Yumi felt herself blushing.

She climbed off his lap and laid down on the couch, resting her legs over his. She grabbed a t-shirt off the floor and put it on so that she was no longer exposed. Then, she looked back at the brunette.

Ulrich buttoned his pants and fixed his shirt before lying down next to her. He encircled the girl in his arms and smiled when she nuzzled her head into his chest.

"Comfy?" She asked, looking up at him with impossibly dark eyes.

Ulrich nodded, brushing stray hairs away from her face. Then, he kissed her forehead and she giggled.

"So we're just going to go sleep?" She asked him with a teasing lilt in her voice.

"What? You want a bedtime story too?" He joked back.

Excitement gleamed in her eyes and Ulrich regretted his sarcastic comment.

"Fine," he started. "Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl who lived in a place called Kadic."

Yumi grinned. "Keep going," she said, snuggling closer to the warm body lying next to her.

"Well... Eventually, she met a boy. And they came from completely different worlds but this boy was determined to make it so the girl could stay with him forever."

"And then what?"

"Then, the girl realized she returned the boy's feelings. And then they went on adventures to faraway places and did other cool stuff and finally, they lived happily ever after."

Ulrich looked down to see Yumi's reaction to his story but found that she was already asleep. The brunette chuckled to himself before adjusting so that they could both sleep comfortably.

"Good night, Yumi," he whispered into her dark hair.

.

The next morning, the pair somehow managed to pull themselves off the couch and make it to class on time.

"I'll see you in gym?" Ulrich asked as they left first period.

"Just like every other day," Yumi responded teasingly.

Their eyes met for a moment and both teens felt a silly smile pulling at their lips. Finally, Yumi waved and walked away down the hall to her next class.

Ulrich watched her go, his heart flipping in his chest, and wondered how he could have ever gotten so lucky.

.

In the cafeteria, Yumi took her usual seat at their usual table with the same kids she and William always sat with. There was only one difference: William wasn't there.

Conversation was continuous but an unspoken tension hung in the air. Yumi knew something was up and when the bell rang to end lunch, one of the Skids gave her a folded piece of paper.

_Come to my room during 8th period. I want to talk to you. -W_

Yumi read and reread the note. If William was going to the trouble of sending her an order in writing, it must be important. She wondered if something had happened with the St. Augustine exchange, or maybe Theo was causing trouble again.

Whatever is was, she just hoped that he didn't want her to hurt anyone. Thought few people knew it, Yumi's martial arts training actually made her one of the best fighters in Skidbladnir, but she rarely demonstrated her abilities.

Yumi sighed. _Looks like I won't be going to gym after all..._

.

Ulrich scanned the game fields at the beginning of 8th period. Jim was starting a game for the girls but Yumi was nowhere to be seen.

He figured she was just practicing in the gym again and decided he'd try to find her after class.

.

Yumi knocked on the white door and waited anxiously. Finally, William appeared and gestured for her to come in.

"Is everything ok? Everyone seemed really tense at lunch," Yumi sat down on the messy bed and looked up at the dark haired boy curiously.

"Why was Ulrich at your apartment last night?" William asked, ignoring her question.

Yumi felt her heart drop. "What makes you think he was at my place?"

William's eyes were cold and his lips made a tight, thin line. "I had a couple guys out running an errand and they saw you going into the building. And they didn't see him leave."

"Since when do you send people out to check on me? Ever heard of personal space?" Yumi snapped, crossing her arms.

"Do you realize what you're doing?" William finally gave into his temper. His waved his arms in frustration. "I thought we had an agreement, Yumi! What am I going to tell the guys, huh? Did you even think about that?"

Yumi flinched at the outburst but tried to keep her composure. "I didn't think anyone would find out, ok?"

William groaned. "You really fucked up, you know that? I don't even know what to do now..."

Yumi watched him pace back and forth. "Just tell everyone that you broke up with me. They'll understand that you're only keeping me around for special jobs."

William laughed drily. "You really think the rest of the Skids are that stupid? There's no way I can lie to them after what those guys saw. Either you put an end to this and make up some shit excuse or I'm going to have to go after him."

"You wouldn't dare," Yumi stood up. "Delmas would be furious and... And I won't let you."

William shrugged, trying to hide the betrayal he clearly felt. "Fine. Then stop seeing him. Now. And everyone better believe that you're done with him or he'll be in serious trouble."

"Fine." Yumi glared at the boy standing in front of her. "But if you think that there is even the slightest chance of you and I getting back together, you're wrong. I'm still a Skid but you and I are done."

She didn't wait for him to respond. Instead, she stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. The door frame and wall shook with the force and Yumi hoped William had received her message loud and clear.

She would do what William said to protect Ulrich, but it did not mean he owned her. And he was a fool if he thought he ever could.

* * *

I wonder what's going to happen next... ;)


	6. Chapter 6

Yay next chapter! Sorry it's kind of depressing...

Also, I feel like now is a good time to announce that I do not condone any of the questionable activities mentioned in this story. Please be smart, safe, responsible people.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Yumi! Hey, wait up!" Ulrich called, walking across the courtyard to catch the dark haired girl as she left campus for the day.

Yumi took a deep breath and brushed the wetness away from her eyes before the brunette came close enough to see her clearly.

"What do you want?" She asked quietly, mentally berating herself for her quivering voice. She needed to be much stronger for what she about to do.

Ulrich stopped short at her harsh tone. "I just got worried when I didn't see you in gym, that's all."

"Well, you can stop worrying. I'm fine." Yumi tried to meet his eyes.

"Are you ok? You sound kind of upset." He looked at her concernedly.

"I said I'm fine," she snapped, her heart bursting painfully in her chest. "I... You should know... William and I got back together."

Ulrich's expression shifted from shock to hurt to anger. "You're kidding, right?"

"It's true," Yumi answered. "I was just talking to him. That's why I wasn't in gym."

"You can't be serious. I thought you said you were done with him," his voice was laced with the pain of betrayal.

"He's... You wouldn't understand. William's not like you think he is. He's so..." Yumi struggled to find words.

"He's what?" Ulrich dared her to answer.

Yumi swallowed her tears and looked away. "I don't want to hurt you anymore. It's over, ok?"

"No, it's not 'ok.'" Ulrich retorted, insulted. "You can't just... do that. You can't just act like what happened was nothing."

"It was nothing." Yumi said sharply. "Nothing happened. And I'd appreciate it if you kept your mouth shut about the whole thing. I don't want... It'd be bad for both of us."

For a long moment, Ulrich was silent. His eyes were hard and accusing and made Yumi want to cry. She wanted to take him in her arms, run her fingers through that dark hair, and tell him everything was just fine.

But instead she said, "I'm sorry for wasting your time. See you around."

And walked away without looking back.

.

"See, good buddy? Didn't I tell you she was bad news?" Odd asked the dejected soccer star sitting on the ground across the dorm room.

Ulrich shook his head and covered his face with his hands. "It just doesn't make sense..." he said quietly into his hands.

"Of course it doesn't make sense. Felons never make sense. First, they beat each other to a pulp and then they go and have sex in a car somewhere," Odd said matter-of-factly.

Ulrich rolled his eyes. "You're not helping."

The blonde sighed. "How about this? Milly invited me to a party this Friday. I wasn't going to go but what if we went together? I know she's technically a Skid but she said there'd be plenty of Boarders there too."

"How is that helpful?" Ulrich asked irately.

"It'll be fun! And I can find you another girl, one who's way hotter and, ideally, doesn't deal illegal substances and have sex with dangerous criminals." Odd smiled cheerfully.

Just thinking about Yumi doing anything like that with William made Ulrich angry all over again. He tried to push the disturbing thoughts away but the images just kept coming back.

"Fine," Ulrich said abruptly. He needed something else to think about. "I'll go to the stupid party."

Odd grinned. "That's my best pal. It'll be great; don't you worry."

"It's not the party I'm worried about..." Ulrich grumbled.

.

_Hertz said I could use one of her old textbooks. I don't need a new one anymore. -H_

Yumi read the text message again with blurred vision. Hiroki was so brave. He shouldn't have to ask for secondhand books in his honors classes when all the other kids could afford new ones.

Tears dropped onto her dark jeans and she held the phone tightly. The silent apartment was dark around her and she pulled her knees up to her chin, curling up tightly on the old, musty couch.

The couch where she and Ulrich had been together just that morning...

_Let me know if you need anything else. Love you. -Y_

_Love you too. -H_

Yumi hugged her knees and cried.

She cried for her little brother who had to watch all his friends go out every night in their designer clothes while he had to stay home and focus on schoolwork to keep his scholarship because there was no money for luxuries.

She cried for Ulrich Stern, who had somehow managed defy all her expectations and had given her no choice but to fall head-over-heels in love with him, and still let her break his heart because he was just so good-too good for her.

And she cried for herself because, even with all his endearing sincerity and undeniable charm, she had still managed to screw up the best thing that had happened to her in years-something that, as long as she remained a Skid, would never be allowed to happen again.

.

The long week slowly passed by, Yumi and Ulrich avoided each other's eyes, and Friday finally arrived.

"That's what you're wearing?" Ulrich asked his best friend doubtfully.

Odd frowned. "What's wrong with it?"

The blonde was wearing a bright purple hoodie with lightning bolts down the arms and neon yellow shoes.

Ulrich decided against discussing the long list of things he believed were wrong with the strange boy and shook his head.

"Never mind. Can we just go already?"

"Jeez! Take it easy. We don't want to be too early. It makes us look desperate," Odd informed him seriously.

Ulrich did not look amused and Odd sighed dramatically.

"Fine, let's go."

.

They arrived at the shady-looking house long after the sun had set. Odd rang the doorbell and Ulrich could already hear the music blaring inside.

Milly Solovieff opened the door for them and invited them inside. Within seconds, Odd was off chatting up a group of girls and Ulrich sighed. Had he really expected anything else from his girl-crazy best friend?

The short redhead giggled. "Looks like Odd ditched you to find someone prettier. You want to stick with me?"

Ulrich recognized the younger girl as a strange case. Technically, she was a Boarder because she lived on campus at Kadic but she was also a Skid. She and her best friend Tamiya Diop were practically attached at the hip and had become members of the gang just last year.

Ulrich didn't bother asking whose house she was throwing a party in. "I guess," he finally answered. He didn't know anyone else at the party and this girl seemed nice enough.

She grinned. "Let's get a drink."

Ulrich gave Odd one last annoyed glance and followed her into the kitchen.

She poured him a shot of clear liquid and he drank it, trying not to let his disgust show on his face.

Then, she took one herself before pouring him another. They settled into their routine and started up a conversation.

A few shots later, they decided to make up a new drinking game.

"So, how does it feel to be the most wanted guy at Kadic Academy?" Milly asked casually.

Ulrich looked at her strangely, partly because it seemed like an odd question to ask someone, and partly because there were now three Milly's watching him for an answer.

"Umm... Good, I guess?" He answered and took another shot. The room started spinning even faster.

But that was the game. They took turns asking questions and after someone answered, they took a shot.

"Your turn." She reminded him.

Ulrich tried to think of all the words he could remember. "Yumi..."

"What's that?" Milly asked. She seemed to be handling her drinks much better than he was.

"You... What do you know about Yumi Ishiyama?" His mouth finally produced words.

Milly frowned. "Why do you want to know?"

Ulrich wanted to tell her that wasn't how the game worked but he could only shrug.

Milly looked around cautiously before grabbing his hand. "Let's go upstairs," she said quietly, pulling him out of the kitchen and up a long set of stairs.

Ulrich realized he had missed the last step when Milly helped him up off the floor and led him into a bedroom.

"Do you have a death wish?" She asked him once they were seated on the bed. "You can't just go around asking about Yumi like that in a house full of Skids. William would hunt you down and castrate you for even thinking about her."

That sounded very unpleasant to Ulrich. "I don't want that. I..." He tried to balance his head on his neck. "I just want... I want to impress her. She likes that stupid William because he's so cool..."

Milly smiled sympathetically and moved so she was sitting right next to Ulrich. "William's a great guy. And you probably wouldn't understand but, from what I hear at least, he's amazing in bed. That's kind of a big factor."

Ulrich rolled his eyes and tried to untangle his hands from hers. "I bet I could be just as 'uh-may-zing.'" He tried to exaggerate the last word the same way Milly had.

The redhead laughed and her grip tightened. "You know something? I believe you."

Ulrich nodded in satisfaction. "You should tell that to Yumi."

"Oh, don't worry. I will," she was almost sitting on his lap now.

Ulrich shifted uncomfortably. She was kind of heavy and her knees were surprisingly sharp.

"Ulrich?" Milly looked at him curiously.

"Mm...?" Ulrich tried to answer articulately but he found he could no longer feel his lips.

Then, the girl on his lap was pressing her mouth against his. Ulrich tried to form words, like 'stop' or 'wait,' but they wouldn't come.

He felt himself being pushed into the quilty softness of the old comforter. Milly was straddling him and, even though he knew it was wrong, her petite hands were under his shirt and her warm lips were on his chest.

An odd sound escaped his throat and he realized he was moaning as she rocked her hips against his. Her fingers were at the button of his jeans and Ulrich's stomach turned.

Finally, his jeans were loose around his waist. Milly put her hands on his stomach again pushed, trying to get him to move back so his entire body was on the bed. The heel of her hand pressed into his liquid muscles and jostled the delicate contents of his stomach.

He practically vaulted off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom, falling at the base of the toilet. He put his best effort into aiming but after retching up that night's dinner, everything became very blurry.

The bathroom went black and the last thing Ulrich felt was his head hitting the cold tile floor.

.

"Ulrich."

...

"Ulrich?"

Ulrich's eyelids were too heavy to open. He forced a strangled sound from his dry throat.

"C'mon man, you can't be dead." Rough hands grabbed his shoulders and shook him. Explosions of light rocketed behind his eyes and his brain felt like it was bouncing off the sides of his skull.

"Arrgh!" He gasped and tried to escape the torture he was experiencing.

"Thank God..." The voice breathed in relief. "Here, drink this."

Ulrich slowly opened his eyes and found a water bottle in his hands. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

The water was gone within seconds. Odd shook his head sympathetically.

"You really shouldn't have done that..."

Ulrich was about to ask what his friend was talking about, but then he felt it. The water sloshed uncomfortably in his stomach and he threw it all back up.

Fortunately, it seemed that he hadn't travelled very far after collapsing the night before. The toilet was only a foot away.

"Go slower this time, ok?" Odd handed him another bottle of water when Ulrich was done.

The brunette took a small sip and tried to calm the fierce ache pounding in his head.

"Feeling better?" The blonde asked.

"A little." He answered weakly.

Odd smiled. "You really had me worried, you know that? Don't ever scare me like that again."

Ulrich took another sip of water. He could see clearly now and his ears were no longer ringing.

Still, there was not a single part of his body that did not hurt immensely. He wanted more water and more sleep, in his own soft bed, not this ridiculously concrete-like bathroom floor.

"Can we go now?" He asked, almost whimpering.

Odd chuckled. "Of course, good buddy. Let's go home."

* * *

Yay hangovers! Haha But really, please be sensible in all your endeavors.

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Hello again darling readers :) Thank you so much for all the reviews! I feel so loved!

* * *

**Chapter 7**

By the time Monday morning arrived, Ulrich was fully recovered from his Friday night antics. He entered the classroom to find that, as usual, Yumi would not be attending their first period class.

He noticed Herve watching him carefully as he took his seat but the sinewy boy looked away quickly when he was caught staring.

_I wonder what's up with him..._

_._

"I heard your little boyfriend had an interesting weekend," William commented at lunch.

They were sitting by themselves in an effort to appear more like a couple again. Yumi tried to feign interest.

"And how would you know that?" She asked. Honestly, Yumi didn't really care for William's made-up gossip but, if they had to talk, he might as well be the one doing the talking.

"I have my sources," William grinned slyly. "All I'm saying is that it looks like he's moved on."

Yumi frowned. She knew he was just trying to get a reaction from her, but it was working. "Since when do your 'sources' get dirt on Boarders?"

"Ever since the Boarder started fucking my source," he said, pleased to finally have her attention.

Yumi rolled her eyes. He was just being ridiculous now.

"I'm being serious, Yumi. I know you practically worshipped the ground his virgin feet walked on but if you don't believe me, you can go ask Milly. Tamiya can attest as well," William said, delighted to be able to prove the dark-haired girl wrong.

"And I suppose Tamiya told you this last night?" Yumi snapped. "I don't give a shit about any of your relationships but don't try to fuck with mine. Just drop it already."

William shrugged innocently. "I'm just trying to protect you from that stuck up jock. He's too immature for you if he can't even go a week without hoo-"

"Just shut up, ok?" Yumi stood up, clearly irritated. She threw her food away and left William sitting there alone. She exited the cafeteria and took a deep breath of the crisp winter air.

Voices were speaking excitedly behind her and Yumi saw Milly and Tamiya standing behind the cafeteria building. She watched them for a minute before they noticed her.

Milly's eyes grew wide and her mouth shut tight. Tamiya took a long drag on her cigarette before blowing out the smoke.

"Yumi," she nodded.

Yumi nodded back but kept her eyes on the nervous redhead. Surely, Milly Solovieff, a mere sophomore and a relatively new Skid, would have no reason to be afraid of an older student and fellow Skid.

_Unless..._

"Milly." Yumi stated, leaving the question hanging in the air.

The girl squirmed uncomfortably and Tamiya frowned.

"Why don't you leave her alone? It's not her fault Ulrich likes her better." Tamiya crossed her arms, trying to support her best friend.

Yumi felt her heart fall into her stomach. "I... I just want to know if it's true. I'm don't want any trouble; I just want to know what happened."

Tamiya looked her over and seemed to decide that she was being honest. She nudged Milly to start talking.

"Umm..." The petite girl started, "Well, I had a party Friday night and he was there. And we went upstairs and... you know."

"You had sex?" Yumi almost couldn't believe what she was hearing.

The redhead looked at Tamiya nervously before nodding.

Yumi tried to calm her racing heart. What Ulrich did was none of her business anyway. She shouldn't care.

"I appreciate you being honest with me. I... I'll see you guys around." Yumi said quietly before walking away. The bell rang to end lunch but Yumi couldn't quite bring herself to head towards her next class.

She found herself sitting on a bench in the courtyard, head cradled in her hands. Students surrounded her, walking to their various classes, but Yumi had never felt so alone.

.

"I shouldn't have said that..." Milly said as she and Tamiya walked across campus.

The taller girl shrugged. "Someone needed to teach her something about how to treat boys. Now she knows not to fuck with the wrong people."

"But what if Ulrich finds out?" The redhead asked nervously.

Tamiya rolled her eyes. "Who's to say you guys didn't have sex? You said he blacked out. He certainly wouldn't remember it even if it did happen."

Milly sighed. "And you're sure William isn't mad?"

Tamiya grinned. "Yumi needed to be knocked down a peg or two. It's just a matter of time before William gives up on her all together and asks me to be his girlfriend instead."

"If you say so..." Milly said quietly as they entered the Science building for their next class.

.

"Hey, man, why didn't you tell me what happened Friday night?" Odd asked as he sat down with Ulrich in the cafeteria for lunch.

Ulrich looked at him strangely. "You were there..."

"No, no, no," Odd shook his head. "I mean with Milly."

"What are you talking about? I told you everything that happened. We were just making out when I got sick and passed out." Ulrich frowned.

"I can't believe you'd lie to your best friend!" Odd exclaimed dramatically. "I just heard from my entire History class that you guys had sex when you went upstairs."

Ulrich's jaw dropped. "No way! That-that's not true at all!"

Odd looked at him skeptically. "It's ok if you don't remember, good buddy, but these things happen. I'm sure it was just an accident."

Ulrich shook his head. "No, you're not listening. We really didn't do anything. I passed out in the bathroom before she even had my pants off."

"I mean... You're really sure about that? Milly certainly seems to think you guys did it."

"I'm positive." Ulrich stated. "I can't believe this..."

He looked around the cafeteria for Yumi. If Odd, a Boarder, had heard Skid gossip than surely Yumi had already gotten the full report.

He saw William sitting by himself but Yumi was nowhere to be found.

The bell rang to end lunch and Ulrich sighed. He knew Yumi probably wouldn't care about the news but he still wanted her to know the truth.

He left the cafeteria with Odd and they headed across the courtyard.

"Hey, look at that," Odd whispered, nudging him with his elbow.

Ulrich followed Odd's line of vision and saw what he was looking at. Yumi was sitting by herself, arms around her knees.

She didn't look happy.

"I'll catch you later," Odd chirped before quickly walking away, leaving Ulrich by himself.

Ulrich took a deep breath, trying to work up the confidence to approach the unapproachable-looking girl.

"Hey," he greeted her, trying to sound friendly

Yumi looked up at him, almost in disbelief, before her eyes lost their emotion all together.

"What do you want?" She asked uncaringly.

Ulrich sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

"I just thought... You might have heard something earlier today about me..." he trailed off, trying to find the right way to phrase his thoughts.

"Go to hell." She spat.

Ulrich looked at her in surprise but her face was serious.

"You think I care that you fucked Milly? You think you showed me?" Yumi was glaring at him now. "Well, here's some news: I could not care less what you do with your life. If screwing around with drunk sophomores is what gets you off, then by all means, have at it."

"That's not what I meant," Ulrich tried to protest. "That's not even what happened."

"Whatever." Yumi rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Will you listen? I didn't have sex with Milly. I don't know who started that rumor, but it's not true."

"Don't lie to me." Yumi was standing now, arms crossed. "I heard from a pretty reliable source that you two did it at the Skid party."

"And I'm telling you that we didn't." Ulrich threw his hands up in exasperation. "I would never do that, Yumi. How can I make you believe me?"

"There's nothing you can do." Yumi said coldly. "Just leave me alone."

She started walking away and Ulrich repressed the urge to chase after her.

"Does this mean that you do care, then? I knew you'd never be happy with William," Ulrich called after her, hoping to get a reaction.

There was a slight hesitation in her step, but she never looked back. That pause was all Ulrich needed though.

He finally had proof that she still had feelings for him and he planned on using those feelings to win her over once again.

.

The next morning, as Ulrich was walking to his first period, he noticed Hiroki walking in the opposite direction. Ulrich had already given up on hoping to see the boy's older sister in their first class and he was pleased to see that the Japanese freshman was more serious about his studies.

Hiroki was wearing a faded hoodie but it was clearly no match against the frigid morning air around them and his arms were folded tightly over his chest in an attempt to stay warm.

"You're crazy, kid. Go put on a jacket." Ulrich stopped as the shorter boy walked by.

Hiroki looked at him with dark eyes identical to his sisters.

"It's not that cold." The boy shrugged before continuing on his way.

Ulrich understood the lie as soon as it left his mouth. Hiroki was freezing, but he most likely wasn't wearing a coat because he didn't have one.

Yumi would never accept anything from Ulrich for herself, but she'd have to accept it for her brother.

Ulrich smiled to himself as he walked through the biting cold, happy to have a plan of action. He'd go shopping that afternoon.

.

Yumi walked down the long, empty hallway to her apartment. It was late; William had wanted her present for his meeting with Theo. They had managed to negotiate a feeble truce but Yumi still worried that the tiniest slip up would set both boys off and there would be a gang war.

She stopped short when she reached her door. A dark mass was lying on the ground with a note on top. She picked the slip of paper up as she unlocked the door.

_Yumi,_

_I know you're upset but I wasn't lying. We made out, but that was all. I wish it had never happened.  
This is for Hiroki. He'll die of hypothermia just wearing that old hoodie._

_I'm always here for you. For anything._

_-Ulrich_

Yumi crumpled the note in her hand and sighed. She dumped the jacket on the counter and tried not to think about the boy who must have been outside her door just hours ago.

The stupid puffy jacket did look warm and it was her brother's size...

She decided she had no choice but to give it to him, but he would never know where it came from. The last thing she needed was for her little brother to start warming up to the persistent brunette.

* * *

Aww :) Feel free to leave more cute ideas for Ulrich. I'd love to hear them!


	8. Chapter 8

Happy belated St. Patrick's Day!

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"Jeremie Belpois?"

The blonde genius looked up from his textbook. "I don't do tutoring sessions, Stern. You might as well turn around now."

Ulrich frowned. "I don't need tutoring," he said. _Well, maybe in Hertz's class..._

"You're friends with Yumi Ishiyama, right?"

Jeremie studied the brunette cautiously. "I suppose you could say that."

"Good. Can you give her something for me? I know you guys have Math together before lunch."

Jeremie's eyebrows raised and he shook his head quickly. "Oh no, no, no. We don't have that kind of friendship. If you want to partake in the transfer of illegal substances, you'll have to find someone else. Yumi and I have a very lawful friendship that has nothing to do with her gang business."

Ulrich almost laughed. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just take-out. See?"

He held up the brown paper bag with the restaurant label on both sides. Jeremie took the bag and opened the top, peeking inside to make sure the soccer star wasn't lying.

"You want me to deliver Yumi's lunch?" The blonde seemed skeptical.

"I'd really appreciate it. And I'll owe you a favor. Anything you want." Ulrich nodded seriously.

Jeremie shrugged. "Well, all right. I'll give it to her in Calculus ...You said _anything_ I want?"

Ulrich wondered if he would end up regretting his offer. "Probably. What do you want?"

The blonde blushed and his eyes went back to his book. "Well... There's this girl. You know Aelita Hopper?"

.

Yumi walked into her last class before lunch and took her usual seat off to the side. Jeremie came in just seconds after her and Yumi looked at him curiously.

His hair wasn't perfectly combed as usual and the top button on the collar of his shirt was unbuttoned. He came over to her and put a brown bag on her desk.

Yumi recognized the bag as take-out from the sushi place near her apartment. "You feeling ok, Jer?"

The blonde smiled widely. "I'm going to ask Aelita out today."

Yumi looked at him in surprise. "Really? I thought you said you were too nervous."

He shrugged, still grinning. "I got some tips from a friend earlier and I've got a good feeling about today. Don't you think it's going to be a good day?"

Yumi tried to suppress her laughter at the love struck boy. "Well, best of luck. She'd be crazy to turn down a guy like you."

Jeremie nodded reassuringly to himself. He was about to walk back to his seat but then he remembered something.

"Oh yeah, the food is from Ulrich Stern. He wanted me to give it to you." He shrugged. Then, the pink-haired object of his affections entered the room. He swallowed nervously before walking back to his seat and waving to the pretty girl.

Normally, Yumi would have been immensely entertained by her shy, studious friend but she was too distracted by what he had said. She opened the bag and found her favorite dish from the sushi place along with a note.

_Thought you might want something special for lunch. -U_

She quickly stuffed the note in her pocket and tried to hide the blush forming on her face.

Why couldn't this boy just leave her alone?

.

Yumi sat down at her usual table in the cafeteria. William was present today. He and the other Skids at the table were talking quickly and quietly, but stopped when she sat down.

William noticed her unusual lunch but didn't comment. Instead, all eyes were on him, waiting tensely, and Yumi knew something was wrong.

"I think Theo's going to break the agreement." The gang leader finally said. "He interrupted a deal this morning and it seems that a few of my younger guys had their windows broken last night. And Delmas knows about one of our stashes now. We only managed to save half and he's looking for someone to pin for it."

Yumi let the news sink in. _So much for a nice lunch..._

"Can't you talk to him? Maybe someone's acting without orders."

"We've tried talking! It's time to teach them a lesson," another boy at the table said forcefully. The other Skids nodded and murmured agreements. Yumi knew it was futile.

"Yumi... I don't see any other way. He's threatening us and I can't let him get away with hurting my friends any longer." William said gently. He took her hand.

"I'm not going to ask you to fight but I'll need you to run the perimeter and keep an eye on things. I'm hoping he'll wait until tomorrow but I need everyone ready if I give the signal tonight. Can I count on you?"

Yumi pulled her hand away. She wished with all her heart she could say 'no.' She wished that these things didn't have to happen. She wished her life were different.

"Of course," she whispered.

William and the other Skids smiled, pleased that she was on board. They went back to their planning and scheming.

Yumi tuned them out. She picked at the food in front of her, disappointed to realize that she had lost her appetite.

.

Milly found her during gym.

Yumi was beating a punching bag into submission in the gymnasium while all the other kids were outside. She could feel the skin on her knuckles rubbing raw but the workout was a welcome distraction from her own thoughts.

"Yumi?"

Yumi turned around to see the petite redhead fiddling with her hands nervously.

"Has it started already?" Yumi asked, shocked that Theo would make a move during school hours.

"Oh, no," Milly shook her head quickly. "That's not why I'm here."

"Good." Yumi let herself relax. "What is it then?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about something..."

Yumi tried not to roll her eyes. She really didn't have time for this bashful act.

"Well, go on." She prompted.

"If I tell you something, can you promise you won't tell anyone? Especially not Tamiya?" Milly looked up at her worriedly.

Yumi shrugged. "Sure. It's not like Tamiya and I are friends anyway."

Milly made a face. "Well, that's kind of part of it. Um... Tamiya thought it would be a good idea if you and Ulrich stopped seeing each other because it made William so mad."

Yumi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Ulrich and I didn't really have sex," she said quickly, wincing at the end.

The information sunk in slowly. "You mean... It was all a lie? Did William know about this?"

Milly shook her head. "No, he wasn't there. He thinks we actually did it."

"I see..." Yumi said slowly. "Don't bother him right now. But when this is over, he's going to know the truth. About you and Tamiya. I'll let him decide what to do with you."

The short girl paled. "He'll kick us out. Please don't tell him, Yumi. Tamiya would hate me!"

Yumi almost felt sorry for the younger girl. "He's not going to kick you out. He won't want this going any farther than the four of us. Just keep a low profile for now, ok?"

Milly nodded. "Ok. I'm really sorry, Yumi. I won't lie ever again."

"At least not to me." Yumi confirmed. "Go on, now. Finish your homework or take a nap or something so you're ready if anything happens."

"Right." The redhead turned to walk away. "See you later."

Yumi waved after her distractedly.

She had been wrong about Ulrich, after all. He had been telling the truth this whole time.

Yumi blinked back tears and cursed herself for getting so emotional. Of course he had been telling truth. Why on Earth would she have ever thought otherwise?

She had to find him and tell him she knew the truth. Fuck William and his rules. Ulrich was just outside. She'd go out there and-

Her phone vibrated.

_Midnight in the clearing. Meeting in my room. Now. -W_

Adrenaline coursed through her body and her heart raced. The fight would be tonight.

Without a second thought, Yumi was running to the boy's dorms. Ulrich would have to wait.

.

There were three boys and one girl in the room already arguing over William's desk when Yumi arrived. She entered quietly and took a seat, trying not to interrupt.

"Are you sure? I can get at least five pistols and a hunting rifle from my dad." The boy standing next to William asked.

William shook his hand. "No guns. Theo's never violated that rule before and I don't want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily."

"But what if he does tonight? You said yourself he's been acting unpredictably. We could get slaughtered!" Another boy tried to persuade him.

"If Theo has guns, I'll know before the fight starts. I have enough spies to be sure." William said, the tone of finality clear in his voice. "Yumi? Was that who just came in? Come here, I want to show you something."

Yumi rose and stood next to William at the table. A map of the campus was laid out and William had made a number of markings around the edge of the forest where they would be that night.

"We'll be using the clearing like always. I'm putting three other people with you, one for each side of the square. They're on your orders but I am going to ask that you take this border as soon as you can manage." He traced over the square, emphasizing the line between the campus and the edge of the clearing.

"You're the only one who I trust not to get caught and I need a buffer between the school and the forest. I don't want any outsiders getting hurt or getting us in trouble." William looked at her to make sure she understood.

Yumi nodded. It'd be critical that no one stumbled in on their fight tonight. "I want Milly and Naomi. But I'm going to need at least two people for the border behind Theo; it's too dangerous to send someone alone. Can you spare an extra guy?"

One of the boys at the table looked about to protest but William raised a hand to silence him. "Fine. You can have Nicholas. And Sam. Between the two of them, they'll be more than capable of keeping an eye of Theo."

Yumi looked up in surprise. The dark-skinned girl standing on the other side of the desk grinned back at her.

Samantha Knight was one of the oldest Skids, and the most experienced. Her father was the head of a gang just outside the city and, though she was more involved with her father's gang, she had offered her protection and services to the Skids as long as she was at the academy.

"Are you sure?" Yumi asked. She had assumed Sam would be most valuable using her impressive strength and fighting skill in the clearing.

"Don't look so disappointed!" The girl laughed before William could answer. "Theo stole a bunch of stuff from my dad's storage about a month ago. I've been waiting to pay him back for ages."

Yumi found herself smiling back. Sam would be a great asset to her defenses and Nicholas had always been a trustworthy, fearless friend. Naomi could move quickly without being detected and Milly was gifted at observing events and giving speedy, accurate reports.

She couldn't have hoped for a better team.

"Sounds good to me. I'm going to meet with the others." Yumi informed the other girl.

Sam nodded. "I'll be there as soon as I'm done helping William with the attack plan."

William watched her as she left, a grim look clouding his eyes. Yumi tried to give him a comforting smile but she knew her concern was apparent in her eyes. She waved to the group around the table and made her exit.

Tonight would be a nightmare, and she imagined a large number would get hurt. But, Yumi had to admit, she had no doubt that the Skids would come out as the victors.

* * *

So much suspense! I can hardly stand it ;)


	9. Chapter 9

Hey guys, sorry this took so long. It was a hard chapter to write. I hope it was worth the wait though!

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Yumi watched William and a number of Skids form a long line just outside the clearing. They were still hidden by the forest surrounding the clearing. Flashlights weren't allowed yet but fortunately, the full moon allowed for the kids to move around without running into each other, or trees.

Her watch read 11:55. She used the small light on her watch to find Milly. The redhead would need a head start to find a suitable look out position. Milly nodded when Yumi met her eyes and took off through the trees, disappearing into the dark.

Yumi's heart beat anxiously in her chest. What if something went wrong?

"She'll be just fine." Sam came up and put a hand on her shoulder.

Yumi sighed and tried to believe the dark-skinned girl. "Are you and Nicholas ready? You should leave soon if you want to find Theo as soon as we start."

"On it," she nodded. Nicholas followed her and they headed towards the opposite border by way of the edge closest to the school.

Yumi looked around for Naomi. She found the pretty brunette already in place, standing behind a tree off to the side. Her main goal tonight would be to watch William and make sure no one attempted a sneak attack.

Naomi gave Yumi a thumbs-up when she noticed her staring. Yumi decided it was time for her to take her position as well.

She paused behind William. "I'm going now. Be safe."

The Skid leader turned his head. He was wearing a ski mask to protect himself from being identified but Yumi could still the sadness in his eyes. "You too."

11:58. Yumi ran.

When she reached a point about halfway between the two sides, she stopped. The woods around her were silent. She checked and double-checked that her knife was still secure in her boot. Then, she looked in the direction of the school. The fight would be starting any second now and Yumi hoped to miss the first few moments of chaos.

The clearing was behind the school, completely secluded except for the storage shed and science building's garden. The tall lights illuminating the roped-off garden and the shed light provided enough light for Yumi be almost positive that no one was in the area.

_Would it be paranoid to check behind the shed?_

Yumi heard what sounded like a stampede, meaning the two gangs were on the move, but all the footsteps were well within the clearing. She should stay as close to her friends as possible, she decided, just in case.

Someone shouted in pain and the sounds of fists and feet connecting with their targets made Yumi cringe. Knives clashed against more knives and fabric ripped apart.

Most everyone would be in the center now. The scene in front of her empty, Yumi decided it was time to check on the progress of the fight. She turned, about to walk away, when heavy, clumsy footsteps came crashing towards her.

Yumi stepped behind a tree, her hand reaching for her boot, and the figure came into view.

"Johnny!" The dark-haired girl gasped, recognizing the boy from the light behind him.

The lanky 8th grader froze.

"What are you doing?" Yumi hissed, trying not to draw the attention of any of Theo's spies that might be wandering nearby.

Determination replaced the shock on Johnny's face. "I'm here to fight," he announced. "I want to help so William will let me join next year."

Yumi tried not to groan. When William took over the Skids, he also set an age limit. Only freshmen and older would be allowed to join the gang, but anyone interested in joining could always ask for protection and pledge as a future member.

"You need to leave. This isn't safe." Yumi tried to make the younger boy see reason. "William wouldn't want you here."

Johnny shook his head. "William keeps the bigger kids from bullying me. I'm going to help him."

A branch snapped just inside the clearing. Whoever it was, they were close and uninterested in fighting in the center because their movements were so slow and deliberate.

Yumi signaled for Johnny to be quiet. She crouched down and stepped lightly towards the noise.

She could make out two figures, most likely males because of their height and stature. Then, the boys stopped.

Yumi's fingers wrapped around her knife and she slowly stood back up, pulling the blade out of her boot. The boys were looking around now. Yumi wondered if they had heard her and Johnny talking.

They seemed to be looking into the trees but Yumi couldn't be sure how much they could see without flashlights.

One of them stepped towards the pair. It was Theo.

Johnny started running before Yumi could stop him. He charged at the gang leader, hands out to tackle him.

_Bang!_

Johnny stopped mid-stride. He slowly tilted backwards, and then fell, unable to catch himself. A quiet gurgling sound escaped his lips but he never moved.

"Don't move!" Theo shouted at her. They were closer now and Yumi could see the small handgun in the other boy's hands. Now, she recognized its owner.

"Herve..." Yumi's voice broke. "You killed him!" She tried to hold back the sobs that threatened to overtake her body.

"I-I didn't mean to!" He cried. The gun was now on the ground and the shaking boy was staring at his hands. "It was supposed to be you!"

"Stop shouting." Theo ordered. "And pick up your gun. We need to keep Yumi from causing anymore trouble."

Yumi couldn't believe her ears. Surely, Herve wouldn't shoot her? And how could Theo want to keep fighting? No one was ever supposed to die...

"Like hell you will!" A familiar voice shouted. Sam appeared behind Theo and quickly had his neck in the crook of her arm.

Nicholas held Herve's arms behind his back just in case, but the skinny boy clearly wasn't going to put up a fight. He fell to his knees and let the bigger boy hold him still.

Theo tried to wriggle out of Sam's headlock but she twisted, hard, and he fell face-first onto the ground. Her connected firmly with the side of his head and he fell limp.

She stood back up, grinning. "You won't mind me taking him for a visit with my father, will you? I promise I'll return him alive."

Yumi tried to focus on the situation in front of her. They would have to clear out as fast as possible. The whole campus, including Delmas, might have heard the gun shot.

"Fine." Yumi acquiesced.

Then, she looked at Herve. "Get him out of here too. But don't hurt him."

Sam rolled her eyes but Nicholas nodded. He picked the gun up off the ground and stuffed it barrel-first into his pocket. He helped his classmate onto his feet before hefting an unconscious Theo over his shoulder.

Yumi watched them walk back into the forest, relieved at least, that with Sam's protection, they'd make it out ok.

The clearing was mostly empty now. The fear that some kids had brought guns to the fight had scattered them; no one wanted to stay around and get caught.

Another group of footsteps came running towards her.

"Yumi," William gasped. "Are you ok?"

He had two other boys with him but Yumi ignored them. "Johnny's dead. Herve shot him, trying to protect Theo."

The Skid leader looked at the body in disbelief. He opened his mouths but no words came out.

"I thought you said there wouldn't be guns!" Yumi shouted at him, finally accepting what had happened.

"I didn't know!" William yelled back. "No one else had one! There's no way I couldn't known one crazy kid would freak out!"

"You should have known!" Yumi's eyes were flooding with tears. She didn't care if she was hurting William's feelings. He deserved it. "He came here to help you. You got that little boy killed!"

"That's enough." William snarled. "We need to get out of here."

He knelt down beside the lifeless body. "Give me something to stop the bleeding. I'm going to take him to the hospital."

One of the boys gave William his sweatshirt. He wrapped it around the thin torso and picked the body up.

"Go home, Yumi. The fewer people involved with this, the better." William told her before walking off with the other two boys.

"Fuck you!" Yumi screamed after him. Tears spilled down her cheeks and she wanted to just lie down on the ground and curl up in a ball.

But, as much as she hated him, William was right. She ran towards the stadium, towards the exit closest to her apartment, taking cover in the dark.

Yumi stopped once she reached the gate, preparing to climb it as it was always locked after hours.

But she didn't want to go home. She didn't want to leave the school and abandon everyone who had to stay.

Yumi realized there was only one place she wanted to go.

.

"Yumi?" Ulrich opened the door, still half-asleep. "What are you-"

Yumi fell into his arms, cutting him off. He tensed in surprise but he quickly accepted the embrace, wrapping his arms around her tightly. He kicked the door closed and led her to his bed.

Her lips crashed against his as soon as they sat down on the bed. Ulrich returned every kiss, his hands tangling in her hair.

Finally, her sniffling quieted and her eyes couldn't produce any more tears.

She stayed on his lap, trying to calm her gasping breaths, and savored the warmth of the living, breathing body beside her. Ulrich smoothed her hair and didn't let her go.

"You going to tell me what's wrong?" He asked gently.

Yumi wiped away the wetness from her cheeks. She couldn't find the words.

"An 8th grader was killed. And it was my fault," she whispered.

Ulrich frowned. "What?"

Yumi nodded to reaffirm what she had said. "There was a fight. I was supposed to keep everyone else out so they wouldn't get hurt."

Ulrich pulled her in closer and pressed his lips against her hair. "That's not your fault. You did all you could."

The dark-haired girl didn't say anything else. She wanted so badly for what he said to be true.

"Here, you're freezing," he pulled the covers over them and got her to lie down. His arms remained protectively around her and Yumi snuggled into his chest.

"Everything's going to be just fine, don't you worry." He whispered soothingly. "It'll be ok. Just wait and see."

Yumi let her eyes fall shut. Exhaustion washed over her and she let the warmth and comfort surrounding her shield her from her thoughts. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

.

The next morning, they awoke to a banging on Ulrich's door. Yumi was up and out of the bed instantly but Ulrich groaned sleepily.

"Go away, Odd!" He called.

"Open up!" A voice on the other side of the door shouted back.

Yumi and Ulrich looked at each other curiously. Neither recognized the voice.

The banging resumed and Yumi checked the peephole. Two Skids stood outside the door.


	10. Chapter 10

I'm sorry this is so late! As it turns out, I'm a liar and this will be 11 chapters, not 10. There was just too much left to fit into one chapter :) I hope you can forgive me!

* * *

**Chapter 10**

_The next morning, they awoke to a banging on Ulrich's door. Yumi was up and out of the bed instantly but Ulrich groaned sleepily._

_"Go away, Odd!" He called._

_"Open up!" A voice on the other side of the door shouted back._

_Yumi and Ulrich looked at each other curiously. Neither one recognized the voice._

The banging resumed and Yumi checked the peephole. Two Skids stood outside the door. They did not look happy.

Yumi turned to look at Ulrich. "They're here for me. William sent them," she whispered.

The brunette frowned. "Let them in. It's about time William realized that you and I aren't going to hide anymore."

Yumi smiled affectionately at the boy in front of her, willing to protect her and stand up to anyone for her sake. It warmed her heart, but now was not the time to get involved in such a petty fight.

"Let me handle this, ok? I'm going to go through the window. Open the door once I'm gone and pretend I was never here." Yumi spoke urgently.

Ulrich set his jaw stubbornly. He wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Please, Ulrich," Yumi whispered, flinching at the loud banging on the door. They'd break it down if she didn't leave soon. "Just let me take care of this. Don't do anything stupid, ok? I love you."

Ulrich's eyes widened at her last statement but Yumi didn't give him a chance to respond. She climbed onto his desk, opened the screen, and slid through the window frame. A solid thud could be heard two stories below, on the ground.

Ulrich wished he could have made sure she landed safely but, without wasting more time, he opened the door.

"I was just getting dressed. What the hell is your problem, huh?" The soccer star crossed his arms and tried to look unintimidated.

The gang members pushed past him into the room. "Who were talking to? We heard voices."

Ulrich rolled his eyes. "There's no way you could have heard anything over the racket you were making. Besides, I'm obviously the only person here."

Both Skids were tall, taller than Ulrich, and one of them had a long scar running down his neck. Ulrich assumed William had chosen these two for their scary appearance.

"Have you seen Yumi Ishiyama since yesterday afternoon?" The one with the scar asked.

Ulrich tried to look confused. "She wasn't in gym yesterday. I have no idea where she was though, sorry." He shrugged.

The other Skid visibly tensed in irritation. His hands curled into fists and, for a moment, Ulrich feared for his life.

Then, scar-neck sighed. "Well, let's go then. Wherever she is, it's certainly not here." He clapped the other boy on the shoulder and lead him back out into the hallway.

Ulrich closed the door behind them and let out the large breath he had been nervously holding in. He listened to their heavy footsteps walk away and hoped Yumi wouldn't run into them anytime soon.

.

Yumi tried to smooth down her hair and adjusted her shirt. Surely William wouldn't notice that she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, right?

She took a deep breath and knocked on the gang leader's door.

"Took you guys long enough!" The boy's familiar voice barked from the other side of the door. "Where'd you find her?" He asked as he opened the door. Shock registered on his face when he realized who was standing outside his door.

"Yumi..." He started.

"Can I come in?" Yumi asked, not in the mood to waste time.

"Of course." The dark-haired boy answered. "Just... Maybe wait a min-"

Yumi ignored his warning and walked into the dark room.

"What're you doing here?" A female voice sneered from William's bed.

Yumi tried to hide her surprise at seeing Tamiya sitting up in the boy's bed, glaring at her.

"Just calm down. I asked Christophe to find her because I was worried but I guess..." William looked at her curiously.

Yumi crossed her arms. "That's what I'm here to talk about."

"You think you can just come in here whenever you want? Let me tell you something, you-"

"Tamiya!" William cut her off sharply. The younger girl looked livid but stayed silent. "Why don't you go on back to your room. Yumi and I have some things to talk about."

Tamiya stood up stiffly, obviously furious, and pulled a sweatshirt over her head. She grabbed her bag and headed towards the door.

William sighed and intercepted her before she left. He wrapped his arms around her tenderly and whispered in her ear. Then, he kissed her forehead gently. They shared a small smile and Yumi assumed all was forgiven between the pair.

Once Tamiya was gone, William looked back at Yumi. All the love and warmth was gone from his eyes. Yumi could see the haunted emptiness and the dark circles under his eyes now. He looked like he hadn't slept all night.

"I... I'm sorry," he whispered. His voice was strained and Yumi knew he was holding back tears.

Johnny was dead. They hadn't been able to save him.

A lump formed in the back of Yumi's throat.

The two old friends embraced, sharing the pain of loss and the heavy, crushing guilt that they both felt.

Finally, when they could stand by themselves again, they separated. Yumi wiped the tears from her eyes and William sat down weakly on his bed.

"I didn't mean for you to run into Tamiya. I just... I didn't want to be alone." He looked up at her sorrowfully.

Yumi smiled faintly at the irony. She understood her best friend's feelings all too well. "It's ok. I understand. I just want you to be happy."

William nodded, a peaceful expression relaxing his features. "She told me something last night, you know. Remember how everyone thought Ulrich and Milly had sex? They really didn't. Tamiya told me she didn't want to lie anymore. Ulrich didn't actually do anything."

Yumi sat down next to the boy. "I know," she said simply. "I wanted to talk to you about that."

William met her gaze before looking away and shutting his eyes tightly. "Yumi, there's nothing I can do. We've already been over this."

The dark-haired girl refused to back down. "There has to be something. Now that you're with Tamiya, there's no reason for you and I to keep pretending."

William pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. "Unless you and Hiroki want to switch schools, it'd be too dangerous for you to leave the Skids. Theo would waste no time trying to get my secrets out of you."

Yumi gave him a skeptical look. "You really think I can't handle a couple X's?"

William chuckled drily. "I have no doubt that you could take on the whole world, but you have to think of Ulrich too. He'll become a target as well, and there's no way you can protect him every second of every day. The tiniest opening is all Theo needs."

Yumi sighed. She looked at William sadly. "I don't know what to do..."

The dark-haired boy studied the face of the girl beside him. Finally, he took a deep breath and put his arm around his old friend. He relished in the familiar comfort and made up his mind.

"I'm going to figure something out. Just give me some time, ok? Just a few days."

Yumi grinned and hugged the boy tightly. "Thank you."

.

Later that day, Ulrich found himself in the library after school, trying valiantly to figure out his Biology homework.

"Um, excuse me. Are you Ulrich Stern?" A feminine voice asked. Ulrich looked up to find bright green eyes staring back at him inquisitively.

"Yeah..." he answered, careful not to stare at the girl's bubble-gum pink hair.

"Oh, wonderful!" The petite girl clasped her hands together. "Jeremie! He's over here!"

The blonde genius appeared around a large bookshelf and smiled. "Great work, 'Lita."

Ulrich raised an eyebrow once Jeremie had joined them.

"Ulrich, this is Aelita Hopper. She's in Math with me and Yumi." Jeremie announced, blushing brightly as the girl took his hand in her own and waved.

Ulrich smiled, understanding now that this was the girl that Jeremie had asked him for advice about. "Nice to meet you, Aelita."

"Anyway, the reason I was looking for you," Jeremie cleared his throat. "Yumi wanted me to give you this." He set an envelope on the table.

Ulrich picked it up curiously.

"Now, normally I don't do this type of thing. But, because Yumi asked me personally, Aelita here is at the top of her Biology class and I got an A+ when I took it last year."

Ulrich smiled when he realized what the blonde was saying and the pink-haired girl giggled.

"Oh! Can we do the cell structure section first?" She asked eagerly, taking a seat across from the soccer star.

Jeremie sat down as well and grinned good-naturedly. "Why don't we work on tonight's assignment first and then we can review?"

As they started in on the complicated problem set, Ulrich tucked the note from Yumi safely in his backpack, looking forward to the time when he would be able to read it.

.

_I really like the coat. A sophomore asked me where he could get one too! -H_

Yumi smiled at the text message. She'd have to tell her little brother the truth about the gift soon. Fortunately, that idea no longer filled her with dread.

She put her phone back in her pocket and adjusted the white flowers in her hands. When she finally found the right spot, she laid them on the ground and took a deep breath.

William had done a good job. Herve would be transferring to a new school after recovering from the event in a hospital and, conveniently, Sam's dad had been looking for a way to get a pre-chosen spy in the local prison system anyway.

There wasn't a trace of blood on the ground. Everything had been cleaned up. But Yumi could still tell. She would always know.

She said a few quiet words, hoping that maybe, somehow, Johnny would be able to hear her. Maybe he would even forgive her.

"Kiwi! Come back! Bad dog!" Someone yelled as they came crashing through the woods.

A small, gray mutt suddenly appeared at Yumi's feet. Its tail wagged eagerly and it was standing on its hind legs, trying to jump up into her arms.

Yumi couldn't help giggling. She fell to her knees and scooped the soft, warm body up in a hug. The mutt licked her face comfortingly.

Finally, the animal's owner appeared. Yumi recognized him as Ulrich's friend with the weird hair.

"What're you doing out here?" The spikey-haired boy asked her suspiciously.

Yumi shrugged, not wanting to reveal her true purpose. "I was just out for a walk."

"Sure, you are." Odd scoffed. "You're probably trying to push drugs on innocent people, isn't that right?"

"Oh, darn. You caught me," Yumi said sarcastically. She set the mutt back down on the ground and frowned. "I thought dogs weren't allowed on campus?"

The boy suddenly paled. "Well... uh, you see... Kiwi's not really... I mean..."

Yumi laughed. "You can relax. I won't tell anyone."

"You mean it?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure," Yumi smiled as the mutt tried to climb into her lap again. "It's kind of cute anyway."

Odd sighed in relief. "Well, all right, then... I'm sorry I called you a drug dealer."

The dark-haired girl tried to suppress a laugh. "Don't worry about it. You're Ulrich's friend, right?"

"Yep! Ulrich's my best good buddy," the boy said, grinning. "And you... Were you guys really a thing?"

Yumi blushed at the question and Odd's eyebrows rose in surprise. Then, he chuckled. "Well, any friend of Ulrich's is a friend of mine. I'm Odd."

Yumi shook the hand that he offered her. "I'm Yumi."

"Nice to meet you," the blonde smiled. "I should get Kiwi back inside before he runs away again but you're welcome to come see him anytime."

"That's very kind of you." Yumi said, wiping the dog drool off her pants.

"Sorry about that," Odd made a face at the saliva puddle. Then, he took the mutt in his arms and waved before walking back to campus. "See you around, Yumi!"

"See you!" Yumi waved back. She finally gave up on cleaning her pants and stood up.

After one last look at the bundle of flowers on the ground, Yumi turned and walked away, comforted by the thought of her two new friends.

* * *

Aw :) I'm so happy everyone can be friends now


	11. Chapter 11

Well, I must say, it has been such a pleasure writing this. I really loved hearing from all of my reviewers and I'm so glad that everyone reading this right now has stayed with me until the end :)

I hope I made it worth your while.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

_Ulrich,_

_I'm sorry I didn't see you after this morning. I hope everything went ok. You shouldn't have any more trouble with the Skids in the future._

_I'm writing this because we need to lay low for the next few days. I'm working with William to figure out a way for us to be together and still keep everyone safe. Please try to understand. _

_Love, _

_Yumi_

_P.S. Don't be jealous. William's head over heels for Tamiya._

_P.P.S. Hiroki really likes the jacket. Thank you. _

Ulrich read and reread the note before folding it up and sliding it back into the envelope. He put it on his bedside table before lying down and draping an arm over his eyes.

_Lay low? _What does that mean? Was Yumi in trouble? Was it because of this morning? Why would their relationship be dangerous?

Ulrich let out a frustrated sigh. He decided against texting her in an effort to follow her request but he decided he'd try to talk to William over the weekend and figure out what exactly was going on.

_William and Tamiya..._ The match didn't seem to make much sense. But then Ulrich's mind wandered to another part of the note.

_Love, Yumi._

_Love, _Yumi

_Love..._

Ulrich blushed. She had said it that morning, too, hadn't she? Ulrich tried to remember it clearly. Just before she jumped out the window, she said it. _'I love you.'_

Why hadn't he said it back? He knew he meant it. _It was just all too fast..._

He had to tell her. As soon as this was all over, that'd be the first thing he said. Nothing else could be more important.

Satisfied with his plan of action, Ulrich pulled the sheets snugly around himself and tried to fall asleep. If he breathed deeply, he could almost catch the scent of the beautiful girl who had been with him just last night.

.

After the long weekend, Yumi sat down at lunch with William and Tamiya and a group of other Skids. She had skipped her first class yet again to avoid running into Ulrich but she was eager to know if William had made up his mind yet.

Tamiya nodded curtly to Yumi and the older girl smiled back, pleased to see that the younger girl no longer harbored such harsh feelings. Then, Yumi looked at William questioningly.

The Skid leader put his hands up as if to say she was expecting too much, too soon.

"But you promised!" Yumi hissed quietly.

"It's going to take time," he said defensively. "And I don't see you coming up with any brilliant ideas."

Yumi frowned. "I'm not the gang leader! You said I had to wait until you smoothed it over with everyone."

William sighed. "I'm trying, ok? Just... be patient."

"I am being patient," Yumi snarled.

William almost chuckled at the falseness of her statement. "Trust me, I've got it under control. Just a little while longer and everything will be fine."

Yumi rolled her eyes. "It better be," she muttered.

"Don't worry about it," he said, ending the conversation.

Yumi watched him dubiously, but the dark-haired boy still seemed confident. The other Skids at the table pulled them into separate conversations and lunch passed by more quickly than it had for most of the year.

Without Theo to cause tension, Yumi realized, the Skids were more at ease then ever; no more fighting, just a large group of friends who occasionally bent the law.

.

Yumi never showed up for their first period class, not that Ulrich had expected her to. William had been surprisingly hard to find over the weekend. He was planning on trying to find him after school that day.

He went through his classes like usual and when gym finally ended, Ulrich headed straight for the locker room to change and begin his search again.

But, fortunately for Ulrich, William found him.

The Skid leader was leaning casually against the gymnasium wall, waiting for Ulrich when he left the locker room.

"Ulrich," William greeted him coolly.

"William." Ulrich responded. "I'm glad you're here. I've been looking for you all weekend."

Dark eyebrows rose. "Really? What for?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Yumi. She told me-"

"To keep quiet for a few days? Yes, I know." William interrupted.

Ulrich frowned. He didn't like the other boy's brisk manner but he let him continue.

"Yumi doesn't know that I'm talking to you right now. Do you think you can keep what I'm about to say just between us?"

"Maybe." Ulrich crossed his arms. "I'm not giving up if that's what you want to talk about."

William looked slightly amused. "That's not why I'm here. The reason you can't discuss this with Yumi is that she wouldn't let you do what I'm going to ask."

He studied Ulrich's reaction cautiously before continuing, "I can think of only one way for you two to have a relationship and still have the Skid's protection. What do you think about joining us?"

The brunette tried to mask his surprise. "You mean, you want me to be a Skid?"

William nodded. "I don't want to involve you in any of our business activities, I don't trust you enough anyway, but you'd have to fight. And you'd have to make the other Skids trust you enough to accept you."

"How can I do that though? They all know who I am. I can't fool anybody." Ulrich frowned.

A grin spread on the gang leader's face. "I think I have a plan. You'll have to take a few hits though. Think you can handle that, pretty boy?"

.

The next day, Yumi still hadn't seen or heard from Ulrich. Jeremie had been kind enough to inform her that the soccer star seemed fine and that their tutoring sessions were still going well.

She sat down at lunch and gave William the same look as the day before.

He smiled and picked at his food leisurely. "You know, Theo returned to school today," he commented, obviously making no effort to answer her unspoken question.

Still, the new was enough to distract Yumi for the moment. "Has he done anything? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

The dark-haired boy shrugged unconcernedly. "I've known for a while now. It didn't seem very important though. I doubt he'll be stupid enough to try anything during school with such little support."

Yumi watched the boy across from her skeptically. "If you say so... Any other news?"

William understood what she was hinting at. "Should be sorted out by tonight. Is that soon enough for you?"

"Really?" Yumi asked, surprised.

"Really." William confirmed. Then, his expression changed and he looked at her seriously. "You're really sure you want this?"

"Positive." Yumi nodded.

"Well, all right." William went back to picking at his food. "You should hang around after school. Just in case, you know."

"Fine." Yumi complied. William's tenseness was only natural with Theo finally coming back to school after being gone since the fight.

.

William was waiting for Ulrich again once he was out of the locker room at the end of the day.

"You ready?" The gang leader asked.

Ulrich nodded. "You sure it's going to work?"

"No." William shrugged. "But if I know Theo, he's not going to wait around for me to send him a formal invitation."

The brunette tried to swallow his nerves. "Well, let's go then."

This earned a smirk from William. He clapped the other boy on the shoulder comfortingly. "You know, you have bigger balls than I gave you credit for."

"Thanks..." Ulrich responded drily._ Doesn't count for much if I get killed..._

They walked towards the main campus. William checked his phone and frowned.

"Tamiya said he's leaving the dorms now. He's probably hoping to catch me before we get past the cafeteria."

Ulrich nodded again, unsure of what to say.

The back of the cafeteria was in sight now. The area was mostly empty; students were still getting out of their last class for the day.

William paused abruptly and motioned for Ulrich to slow down. Theo had just appeared around the corner of the cafeteria.

Ulrich's heart dropped into his stomach. _Too late to turn back now..._

"So, Theo, how is Mr. Knight doing? I hear you two had a nice chat the other day." William said cheekily once the other gang leader was within earshot.

"Fuck off, Dunbar. Unless you're looking to get the shit knocked out of you, you better back up." Theo snarled.

William grinned. "Or what? You gonna shoot me?"

Theo's eyes widened in anger and Ulrich winced. The X leader pulled a knife out of his pocket and held it up warningly. He was less than a foot away now.

"You have no idea who you're fucking with."

"I just see a coward shaking his little toy at me." William spat back.

Theo let out a furious noise and directed a punch at the other boy. William dodged, leading Theo away from Ulrich.

Theo threw his arm out and managed to inflict a decent sized cut along William's arm. Ulrich stepped forward nervously. He noticed the other students gathering around them to watch and reminded himself to wait for William's cue.

William kicked Theo's legs out from under him and landed a light punch to the side of his face before he had to move to avoid the knife. Theo quickly got back on his feet and swung his arm out.

William shifted to avoid the blade once more before turning and taking the other boy's arm between his hands. He wrestled the knife away, slicing one of his hands in the process. Theo let go of the knife and kicked William squarely in the ribs to free his arm from the other boy's firm grip.

The Skid leader fell to the ground, holding his stomach, and gasping to catch his breath. The knife was still securely in his good hand and Ulrich recognized that it was his time to move.

When Theo went to kick William again, Ulrich charged. He tackled the other boy in a bear-hug type grab and they both went to the ground. Realizing that his only advantage was the element of surprise, Ulrich tried to get in as many hits as possible before Theo could retaliate.

Finally, the X leader's fist connected with Ulrich's jaw. Stars swarmed behind his eyes and that tiny opening was all Theo needed.

Theo pushed the soccer star off and got back on his feet, wiping the blood from his nose and cheek. Ulrich felt a foot in his stomach and the kick sent him rolling. Thanks to adrenaline, he found himself standing again, but he was still shaky.

The other boy was walking towards him menacingly. Ulrich took a deep breath and prepared himself for another round of blows.

After all, the best defense was a good offense.

.

_Behind the cafeteria. Now. -T_

Yumi pocketed her phone and ran. If Tamiya was texting her instead of William, it must be serious.

She turned the corner of the building to find a large crowd of students had already gathered. A number of X's were cheering loudly and Yumi recognized a lot of fellow Skids looking on nervously.

Yumi pushed through the students to see what was going on. First, she saw William on the ground. His hand was bleeding profusely but Tamiya was kneeling next to him and he seemed unharmed otherwise.

Then, she saw what everyone else was watching. Ulrich was struggling to pick himself up off the ground and Theo looked like he was about to kill him.

"No! Wait!" Yumi cried.

Strong arms grabbed her around the waist and Yumi whirled around to see Nicholas was trying to hold her back.

"Please wait. We're all ready if it looks like it's going to go bad," he said quietly so the kids around them wouldn't hear.

But Yumi wouldn't listen. "Are you insane? It's already going bad! He'll kill him," she tried to pull away.

Nicholas tightened his grip and stepped back so she lost her balance. "Watch."

Yumi looked back up to see Ulrich on his feet. His lip was bleeding but he had a determined look in his eyes.

Yumi watched in horror as he charged the X leader blindly.

.

Ulrich felt Theo's fist hit his cheekbone, rattling his brain. But, he also felt his own fist connect with the other boy's chin, forcing his head back.

Theo couldn't catch himself and he fell backwards onto the ground. Ulrich followed him, landing two forceful blows to his stomach. Theo tried to roll over but Ulrich hit him again as hard as he could.

A muffled sound escaped the other boy's throat and Ulrich felt him struggling to get up from under him. His hands were covering his face, making no effort to fight back.

"Hey! That's enough!" A voice yelled from behind them. Ulrich paused and looked around.

Some X's had come up to them. They weren't going to touch either of them, but it was clear that they were concerned about their leader.

Ulrich tried to find William but then, he saw Yumi watching him from the crowd. Her eyes were fixed on him, watching anxiously, and Ulrich stood up.

He managed to walk a few steps before falling to his knees again. The stars behind his eyes were returning and his ribs cried out every time he inhaled.

When he opened his eyes again, Yumi's arms were around him. They were still on the ground and she had tears in her eyes.

What was it that had been so important earlier? Ulrich tried to remember.

"And to reward Ulrich for his bravery, I would like to offer him a place in Skidbladnir. He had certainly earned my trust. I hope you all will welcome him as I have if he chooses to accept our offer." William's voice was growing clearer.

Ulrich realized he had won. William could make him a Skid. He'd be like Yumi. They could be together...

"Yumi, I have to tell you something..." He forced words out despite his protesting muscles.

"All right, everyone. Let's give him some space. We don't want to bring Delmas out here." William called again, breaking up the crowd that had gathered.

Yumi watched the other students leave. William met her gaze before walking away with Tamiya.

The dark-haired girl hugged the brunette boy in her arms tighter and nuzzled her face into his hair.

"What the hell were you thinking? You could've died," she said quietly once everyone else had left.

Ulrich left himself relax into the comforting embrace. He had remembered what he had wanted to say.

"I love you," he whispered.

Yumi tensed around him for a moment before breaking out in laughter. "I can't believe you! You almost scared me to death!"

Ulrich looked up to watch her reaction. Concern crossed his features and Yumi looked into his big brown eyes, smiling. "I love you too, idiot," she added gently.

Then, she leaned down and kissed him. Ulrich wrapped his arms around her, the pain suddenly becoming insignificant compared to what he was feeling now.

They stayed like that for a long moment, wrapped up in each other's embrace. They held each other tight, comforted, and secure in the fact that they would never have to let go again.


End file.
